Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of Square Enix interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announced the imminent release of the FINAL FANTASY XI Starter Pack for Windows for the low suggested retail price of £4.99.

The FINAL FANTASY XI Starter Pack will be released on 20th July and is the ideal inexpensive introduction into the MMORPG genre. Included with the Starter Pack are the PlayOnline Viewer, Tetra Master online card game and the original FINAL FANTASY XI software. Purchasers will also be able to enjoy a one-month free trial to the online world.

FINAL FANTASY XI is the first online offering from Square Enix and an absolute must for fans of the series with over 500,000 active players to meet and share your adventure. This past year has seen a massive amount of changes to the game’s infrastructure, as the developers have acted on constructive feedback from the large fan base and implemented many of their new ideas to the growing world of Vana’diel. These include tweaks to the difficulty levels of missions, adjusted drop rates for rare items, the revision of the Signet system allowing players to party more efficiently in smaller groups and the introduction of Chocobo Racing.

"We are delighted to have the opportunity to offer FINAL FANTASY XI to a whole new spectrum of gamers at such a competitive price," said John Yamamoto, President and chief executive officer of Square Enix Ltd., "We are confident that this release, coupled with recent gameplay changes and the forthcoming Wings of the Goddess expansion pack will encourage even more to try what is an exciting and prolific online experience."