In 2008, Square Enix held VanaFest at Tokyo's Kourakuen Hall. It was a smaller, more exclusive event compared to the festivals of year's past, but Corinth, working on JP Button at the time, managed to win us tickets through the lottery. Armed with only a notepad and an iPhone, we relayed small, text updates throughout the day and the even itself. Not even two years later, we know see multiple live blogs, streaming video and countless Twitter feeds all focused on Seinenkan Grand Hall. It's amazing how much technology and the Internet have evolved in such a short time.
However, those are not the only things that have improved. Through the efforts of the Community Team, players were treated to a direct play-by-play of the event this year in Tokyo. Leading up to the big day, we also got pictures and video showing the preparation that went into VanaFest. The developers also got in on the fun, with Hiromichi Tanaka and Sage Sundi in particular posing for some playful shots. The connection between the Square Enix staff and the Final Fantasy XI players is also getting progressively stronger and more beneficial towards both sides.
VanaFest 2010 brought many surprises both during and around the actual event. Let's take a look at what went on!
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