PlayOnline

PlayOnline is a video game concept

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EDIT BLURB SUBSCRIBE page last edited on Nov. 22, 2008

A service provided by Square Enix which allows access to their online games catalog.

Overview

PlayOnline is the online service provided by Square Enix which is the gateway for users to play any of Square Enix's currently available online titles. Currently there are 3 titles available on PlayOnline:

FINAL FANTASY XI (PlayStation2, XBOX 360, PC)
Tetra Master (PlayStation 2, PC)
JangHoLow (PlayStation 2 - Japan Only)

PlayOnline History

PlayOnline.com

PlayOnline was originally launched in 2000 as a website of Square Co., and PlayOnline.com was Square Japan's main games portal, while an in-depth online Final Fantasy IX strategy guide was all that was linked with PlayOnline in North America and Europe at the time.

In 2003, Square (Now Square Enix) moved all their non-PlayOnline game pages to their square-enix.com homepage, and devoted PlayOnline.com to games linked with the PlayOnline service. As FINAL FANTASY XI launched in North America and Europe, PlayOnline.com pages were made devoted to news and information specific to each region.

Current day PlayOnline Viewer

PlayOnline Viewer

In 2002, with the Japanese launch of FINAL FANTASY XI on the PlayStation 2, the PlayOnline Viewer was introduced. This program offered users e-mail, chat, manga, strategy guides, account management tools, and additional content for PlayOnline games and non-PlayOnline games. Some of this included:

The Vana'diel Tribune - A monthly feature which provided additional backstory to characters, areas, and more found in FINAL FANTASY XI.
Tetra Master mini-games - Fortune Cards and a personality test are available to have their fortune read using Tetra Master cards, and to see which Final Fantasy IX character best matched their personality.
Special Extras pages - On the Japanese PlayOnline Viewer, special sections were added to help promote upcoming Square Enix products. Some of these included Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Everquest II.

In 2005, the PlayOnline Viewer interface went through two redeisgns to try to improve usability, and a "Shortcut" function was added to allow users the ability to go directly to a game's launch page within the Viewer.

All the while, the userbase of PlayOnline's games have voiced much displeasure over the PlayOnline Viewer. Many complain that is is slow and clunky, and wish for there to just be a direct launch to the game, avoiding the Viewer altogether. Square Enix has said that the Viewer has helped with their billing and services cycle, and do not intend on removing the PlayOnline Viewer functionality from current titles.

It was announced at the 2008 Final Fantasy XI Premier Site Summit that PlayOnline will not be connected to the currently in-development MMORPG for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Windows Vista. Players though, will be able to carry over their PlayOnline friend list, and be able to communicate with players using PlayOnline services.

Starting in Spring 2009, the PlayOnline Viewer will offer downloads of additional content packs for FINAL FANTASY XI.

Previous PlayOnline Supported Games

Fantasy Earth: The Ring of Dominion (February 23, 2006 - October 31, 2006)
Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII- (January 26, 2006 - September 29, 2006)
Everquest II (June 16, 2005 - July 1, 2006)
Front Mission Online (May 12, 2005 - May 31, 2008)

PlayOnline games Edit

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Name	Platforms	Developer
Fantasy Earth Zero	PC	Square Enix, NHN Games Corporation
Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII released on Aug. 15, 2006	PS2	Square Enix
Front Mission Online	PC, PS2	Square Enix
EverQuest II released on Nov. 8, 2004	PC	Sony Online Entertainment
Final Fantasy XI Online released on Oct. 28, 2003	PC, PS2, X360	Square Enix, Square Co., Ltd.
Final Fantasy IX released on Nov. 14, 2000	PS1	Square Co., Ltd.