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PlayOnline is an online gaming service created by Square Enix, and is used as a hub for all online PC and PlayStation 2 games the company publishes. Currently, games such as Final Fantasy XI, Tetra Master, JongHoLo (Japan Only), the Japanese release of EverQuest II, and upcoming titles such as Front Mission Online and The Ring of Dominion are supported by the service.
Original PlayOnline.com
Initially, PlayOnline was a subsite of Squaresoft.com and contained content such as online strategy guides and special sites for games published by Square (starting with Final Fantasy IX). It was introduced at the time of Final Fantasy IX's release, in which PlayOnline.com featured an online strategy guide that worked in conjunction with the printed version of the guide published by BradyGames. This subsite no longer exists, however. Square Enix integrated the site's features into their own site at Square-Enix.com, in order to put up a site for the U.S. release of Final Fantasy XI.
Present day PlayOnline.com
PlayOnline.com now links to the Japanese PlayOnline site, which contains links to individual game sites and explanations of PlayOnline features. On the U.S. and European PlayOnline.com sites, both sites contain information solely on Final Fantasy XI and PlayOnline features.
PlayOnline Viewer
PlayOnline is accessed through a program called the PlayOnline Viewer. This program is used to access online games, extra features (such as access to Square Enix Mobile downloads for Verizon Wireless and Cingular customers, as well as Viewer downloads like wallpapers and e-mail greeting cards), news and information about PlayOnline and it's games, chatrooms, e-mail, and a personal Friend List to keep track of people met on the service. PlayOnline service is free, but games under the service branch require paid subscriptions, as well as some advanced PlayOnline features. PlayOnline does not have any Internet browsing software.
Currently, PlayOnline can only be purchased through the PC or PS2 version of Final Fantasy XI (in all regions) or the Japanese version of EverQuest II. The software is not available as a stand-alone program.
External links
"PlayOnline"