Final Fantasy XIV out March 2011 on PS3

Square Enix has announced that Final Fantasy XIV, its massively multiplayer online game, will be released worldwide on September 30 for Windows PC. PS3 gamers are going to have to wait considerably longer, though, with their version scheduled for early March 2011.

In advance of the September 30 release, Final Fantasy XIV PC Collector’s Edition, which is available in Europe from 22 September, will offer early access to adventurers eager to embark on this new chapter in the series by granting access to the realm of Eorzea.

Furthermore, the Beta phase for the Windows version will begin in early July 2010.

PC Collector’s Edition includes:

EARLY ACCESS – Play a few days prior to the release of the PC Standard Edition

BEHIND-THE-SCENES DVD – Get an insider look at the making of FINAL FANTASY XIV with exclusive video content, interviews and more in this special documentary DVD

SECURITY TOKEN – A FINAL FANTASY XIV branded Security Token used in addition to your regular password

ADVENTURERS BRANDED TUMBLER – Carry a small piece of Eorzea around with you with this branded tumbler

MAP OF EORZEA – A detailed map showing the key areas of Eorzea, essential for the committed traveller

TRAVEL JOURNAL – Record your travels in this journal filled with pages of never-before-seen concept art

FREE GAMEPLAY – 30-day free gameplay

GUEST PASS – Invite a friend to play free for a limited time

All new Final Fantasy XIV game packages for PC come with a 30 day free gameplay period. Players will receive a discount to their initial service fees in the form of a complimentary, all-access pass to the new realm of Eorzea. Following this free gameplay, the regular 30-day subscription fee will be £8.99. Each additional character will be £2.10 per month with a maximum of eight characters per account.

For each account, one retainer (a non-playable character that will maintain item sales within the game as well as provide item storage while the user is logged out of the game) will be free of charge with each additional retainer being £0.70.