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Tuesday Morning News Square of Japan officially announced on Monday, that it will release Final Fantasy X in Japan on July 19 for 8,800 yen ($71), launching at a price that is slightly more expensive than most other PlayStation 2 games. The "limited edition" version of FFX will ship separately for 10,800 yen ($87), which is to feature 5.1 channel compatible sound and an added high-resolution mode. Also, in other Square news, President Hisashi Suzuki confirmed that parts of the PlayOnline network have been finished, including the browser, which will allow for chat, email, and gaming functions. The PlayOnline network is to support Final Fantasy XI, which is scheduled to be released next spring on the PlayStation 2 and Windows PC in Japan. According to Suzuki, Square plans to gain profit from PlayOnline assuming that 495,000 people subscribe for one-year contracts. Considering the popularity of the series, Square is confident that it can pull it off. In other news, Sonic Team has announced that it will delay the release of Phantasy Star Online Version 2. Sonic Team says that it needs more time to further polish the game, so it can better satisfy fans of PSO. The release has been pushed back two weeks, and is now scheduled to be released on May 31 for 4,800 yen ($39) in Japan. A North American release date has yet to be announced. Also, this past weekend At Sega's GameJam, Yuji Naka from Sonic Team demonstrated Phantasy Star Online Version 2, while Senior designer Satoshi Sakai explained the new battle mode, the challenge mode, and the ultimate mode. He also showed the new lobby where users can play soccer, as well as some of the new weapons and items included in this updated version of Phantasy Star Online. Don't forget to check out our PSO Version 2 Softbank Dreamcast Magazine article!
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