According to recent Japanese game magazine articles, there’s more. Much, much more. Website FFXIVCore.com has a long laundry list of all the nitty gritty, but here are some selected highlights:

• The PC version will be able to run on PCs from a few years ago, but the alpha version will only run on high-end PCs

• Can be run on 512MB of VRAM and above

• Alpha test starts soon

• Square wants to make it possible to play with your friends from FFXI

• Character customisation won’t be fully available in beta (can’t change facial features)

• There’s a mode for restoring HP while moving

• The plan is the make the maximum number of members in a party between 6 and 8, and there will also be alliances

• The important things in battle are distance, range, and direction

• There will be magic you can use while moving

Apparently, FFXIV will have players fight on the move, and in battle, position is key.

Square Enix has included information about registering for the FFXIV beta in copies of Final Fantasy XIII’s PS3 version. You register?

Famitsu and Dengeki leak rumors [FFXIVCore]

Know that you must be willing to part with money and purchase the PS3 version of Final Fantasy XIII. Players can register the serial number on their copy of FFXIII to receive a crack at the beta for upcoming massively multiplayer online role-playing game Final Fantasy XIV as well as in-game item.

To get a chance at entering the beta, players must fill out a lengthy application, which lists things like internet speed and provide, router info, previously played MMOs and whether or not players have ever been guild leaders. Players are chosen for the beta based on their answers and not how quick they reply — meaning that it is not guaranteed every player will get a FFXIV beta invite. However, every PS3 customer does get the FFXIV in-game item.

Easy enough! Well, if you don’t minding putting up cashola for FFXIII.

A similar promotion was rolled out in Japan when Final Fantasy XIII was released there late last year.

Since Final Fantasy XIV has not yet been officially announced for the Xbox 360, the Xbox 360 version of FFXIII comes with promo codes for Xbox LIVE avatar items.

Thanks Kotaku reader bakagaijin!

According to website FFXIVCore, a teaser site FFXIV for March 11 is opening, and the game will have a beta (details are scant). On March 1, info for the FFXIV Alpha will be sent to players.

There was new gameplay footage shown as well.

Besides FFXIV, there was FFXI news: the level cap has been increased to 99, and Odin and Alexander will appear as Summons in FFXI.

More info in the link below.

Today’s the Day! Core at Vana’Fest 2010 [FFXIVCore]

The creator allows for a variety of skin tons, eye colours, lip colours, hair colours and styles, tattoos, facial scars as well as waist, hip and bust size. Of course, these sorts of character creators have become increasingly standard and now they’re in FFXIV.

Final Fantasy XIV [Official Site Thanks, Black-Dog-Howls!]

That’s not going to stop Square Enix boss Yoichi “Imperial Hot” Wada from taking a crack, though. Asked by Develop what he thought Final Fantasy XIV’s chances were of challenging WoW, he says “WoW is a tough competitor, but whether you are talking about EverQuest, Ultima or Lineage there has never been a company that has a continuously successful number one and two MMO”.

As in, the sequel to a big MMO has never been as big as the original.

Taking that to heart, Wada believes that, despite WoW being “tough competition”, Final Fantasy XIV could definitely become a “serious rival” to Blizzard’s juggernaut.

And why not! It’s always the second game in a series that tanks, not the 14th!

Final Fantasy XIV a serious WoW rival, says Wada [Develop]

So sign up now, if you’re interested. But only if you would like to beta test the PC version, as Square Enix says “Details regarding recruitment for the PlayStation 3 version will be released at a later date.”

And please be at least 18 years old. And have a Square Enix ID account (or sign up for one). And only apply once. Thank you.

Final Fantasy XIV Online Beta Test Application Site [FFXIV.com - thanks, many tipsters!]

The former specialises in swords and shields, specialising in close combat. The latter prefers to engage in even closer combat, using hand-to-hand fighting techniques complemented by cestus and claws, adding a little long distance with expertise in throwing implements like the chakram.

The FF XIV official site also has details on some of the MMO’s weapons, all of which players can get their hands on sometime in 2010, after Square Enix gets Final Fantasy XIII out the door.