If you play Final Fantasy XI, then you probably know that the next version update will raise the game’s level cap. The long-standing level 75 limit is on its way up to 99, and with it come new abilities and spells.

Among those are the new weapon skills, and Square Enix has given us a preview of the new attacks to come to FFXI. No news on their damage, or any new skillchains, but we know the names of the new weapon skills.

Of course, Square Enix is trying to maintain interest in its game, especially in order to keep everyone interested until Final Fantasy XIV comes out.

Square Enix has sent out a message to its Final Fantasy XI subscribers to let them know it’s facing a security breach on its servers. One of the company’s registration servers was compromised, and some account information, including login and password information, as well as some registration details, may have been stolen.

Final Fantasy XI players are being reassured that credit card information has not been stolen. Also, customers who linked their PlayOnline accounts to the newer Square Enix Account system should be safe.

All players affected by the breach have had their passwords changed, and new passwords are being sent to their registered addresses by regular mail. Meanwhile, options are available to reset passwords for those with valid emails listed.  FFXI players who can still log in with their original passwords have not had their accounts compromised.

Square Enix has released a new Final Fantasy title for the Nintendo DS. The company will release Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light this October in North America and Europe.

Originally released last October in Japan as The Four Warriors of Light: Final Fantasy Gaiden, the game boasts a mix of old and new gameplay styles, using the newer DS to present gameplay reminiscent of the early NES Final Fantasy games.  The game centers around a young boy who has been summoned by a king to rescue the king’s daughter from a sinister witch.  Not breathtaking originality, but I suppose that’s the point.

Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light will be out October 5 in North America, and October 8 in Europe.

The June update to Final Fantasy XI will include the end of the Wings of the Goddess storylines, which have been gradually rolled out since the expansion’s release in late 2007.

The expansion, which offers three versions of its storyline, one for each of the nations of Bastok, San d’Oria and Windurst, will finally bring these stories to their epic conclusions. The Wings of the Goddess storyline opened up a link to the past of the game’s world of Vana’diel, allowing players to travel through time and experience an earlier, war-torn version of the FFXI world.

The next version update also introduces a level cap increase to Final Fantasy XI, as Square Enix begins the rise from the long-standing level 75 cap to a level 99 cap.

Final Fantasy XI is itself now in its eighth year of life since its first Japanese launch. The game also has three new “Abyssea” add-on scenarios going live in the near future, beginning with Vision of Abyssea, which will go on sale for $10 US alongside June’s version update.

A specific date for the update has not yet been announced, but Square Enix is targeting mid-June.

Square Enix has revealed new details about Eorzea, the world of its upcoming MMO, Final Fantasy XIV.

For one, the world map of Eorzea has been revealed:

Technically speaking, this is a map of Aldenard, a continent of Eorzea. You can expect that this map will expand as Final Fantasy XIV does — just like its predecessor FFXI gradually showed us more of Vana’diel.

We’ve also learned a little bit about the city-states where players may begin their FFXIV journey. Of course, they’re a bit reminiscent of the FFXI starting cities as well:

• Ul’dah is described as a “bustling commercial hub” in the middle of the southern deserts. The city itself is a fortress, with towering walls and guard posts surrounding a central citadel.  Despite this, the city is perhaps best known for its recreational uses: its wealth has lead to the building of battle arenas and gambling halls.
• The forest nation of Gridania can be found in the eastern lands of Aldenard. Wooden buildings can be found amongst the lush trees and rivers of the area. The Gridanians live a life in harmony with nature, participating in trades of their natural resources.
• Limsa Lominsa can be found on the western island of Vylbrand. The city itself actually expands over many small islands connected by bridges. This port town has the sea to thank for its wealth, both from the fishing industry and from trade and shipping to the other city-states.

Yoichi Wada has also recently commented that Final Fantasy XIV will be released in this fiscal year — which means sometime between now and the end of March 2011.

More on Final Fantasy XIV as we get it!

The March numbers are in, and it looks like the PS3 is the platform of choice for the majority of Final Fantasy XIII players.

According to data provided by the NPD Group, Square Enix’s new flagship RPG sold over 800,0o0 copies on the Sony PlayStation 3, while the Xbox 360 system fell short of 500,000 sales.

The perceived superiority of the PlayStation 3, which is a more powerful machine, is likely a contributing factor. The game was also developed originally as a PS3 title and later ported to the Xbox 360 platform for release outside of Japan. (Though it should be noted, the Xbox 360 version doesn’t have any performance problems.) For those that have both consoles, the PS3 would be a likely choice for this game.

Final Fantasy also has a long history on the Sony console line, with all major titles since Final Fantasy VII coming out mainly for PlayStation consoles. (The online Final Fantasy XI eventually appeared on the Xbox 360, though it was first a PC and PS2 game.)

Final Fantasy Versus XIII is still scheduled to be a PS3-only title. This data may just give Square Enix a little more confidence in that decision.