From Playonline.com:

The official promotional video for "A Moogle Kupo d'Etat — Evil in Small Doses," the new add-on scenario currently on track for a Monday, July 20th release, is now available for your viewing pleasure!

Get a sneak peek of the new adventure at the official site!

Now in its fifth week, Happy Friday, a community comic strip, is still going strong. With Vlorsutes still out of commission after suffering from a broken hand, Beastmen Lord continues to pick up his pen to draw the strip. If you're interested in contributing an idea, script, or illustration, email us at ffxiteam@allakhazam.com!

(Click image for larger version)

This week's strip marks the first time we've taken direct inspiration from the ZAM forums. Last week, OmegaVegito posted this thread, inspiring the story. Who will be immortalized in Happy Friday next?!

Discuss this strip on the ZAM forums!

ZAM Wikibase Editor Scott "Thayos" Pesznecker (left) and Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu (right)

Nobuo Uematsu's music was heard around the world long before he became famous.

The 26-year-old musician -- who grew up in Japan listening to Elton John, Led Zeppelin and King Crimson -- was hosting friends at his home when one of them mentioned a part-time job opening at a small video game company. Uematsu applied for the job and got it.

Soon after, he was scoring the soundtrack for what would be the company‘s breakout title -- a role-playing game called Final Fantasy.

The rest is history.

“I certainly didn’t write any of these pieces with the ambition they’d be performed in concert halls,” said Uematsu, now 50. “I never imagined I’d be doing this, and that every time people would be asking, ‘encore, encore.’”

The “Distant Worlds: Music of FINAL FANTASY” concert tour, which is swinging through Seattle, Wash. this weekend, is a compilation of Uematsu’s work throughout the Final Fantasy series. Under the direction of Uematsu and Grammy award-winning conductor Arnie Roth, the iconic music of the Final Fantasy series is brought to life by a full symphony orchestra.

Uematsu, in Seattle for this weekend’s concerts, took some time after Wednesday’s rehearsal to reflect on his career and the success of Distant Worlds.

Discuss this interview on the ZAM forums!

With the July content update fast approaching, Square Enix has announced the second part of the job adjustments we're expected to see. The often neglected "Circle" job abilities will be receiving a new boost, as will the skill up rate for magic and combat skills for low to middle level situations. Finally, two new spells will be added to the vast repertoire of spells of the powerful Blue Mage.

Discuss on the ZAM Forums!

From Playonline.com :

We're pleased to announce that "A Moogle Kupo d'Etat—Evil in Small Doses," the second in a series of three add-on scenarios for FINAL FANTASY XI, goes on sale starting today, exclusively through PlayOnline!

Follow the "A Moogle Kupo d'Etat" banner on the main PlayOnline FINAL FANTASY XI page to purchase your registration code!

For more details, visit the official site.

* Purchasing users will be able to access the new content with the release of the next FINAL FANTASY XI version update, currently scheduled for late July.
* Users need only purchase one registration code per PlayOnline ID in order to enjoy the new content with all characters on that account.

Seven years into the life of Final Fantasy XI, the development team at Square Enix decided to try something radically different -- three add-on "scenario expansions" instead of an all-out expansion pack. The first of these mini-expansions, “A Crystalline Prophecy,” was released in early 2009. The majority of reviewers seemed to disapprove of the new add-on, and the playerbase had mixed reactions to the mini expansion.

As we prepare for the release of the second add-on, titled "A Moogle Kupo d’Etat: Evil in Small Doses," we at ZAM decided to take a look back at what worked -- and what didn’t work -- in "A Crystalline Prophecy."

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As the July version update approaches, one of the many things players have to look forward to are the new Wings of the Goddess missions, which will surely send Future Fabulous into the cold Northlands. With that in mind, we're happy to present our first colored Happy Friday strip. Many thanks to Beastmen Lord for working so hard on this one! Click the strip for the bigger version!

Discuss this strip on the ZAM forums!