Similar to current online games like Phantasy Star Online, Final Fantasy XI will allow users to choose the race, sex, and job of their respective character during the process of character selection. Regarding the job system, it's still unknown whether it will be based on the traditional jobs seen in previous installments of the Final Fantasy series. One particular race though, has already been revealed. Called "hume", it's basically the human race with its two sexes. No information has been given on the other races, except that the game will offer the selection of nonhuman races as well. Non-playable characters also have -not so surprisingly- been confirmed to exist. Their main function will be moving the story forward.
Both the PlayStation 2 and PC versions are developed simultaneously, each containing Japanese as well as English language support. Being 65% complete by now, the PS2 version of FFXI will be available for beta-testing in winter, with the Japanese release scheduled for April 2002.
