Beta testing for the Square Enix MMORPG Final Fantasy XI officially closed last night. The privileged group of beta testers was forced to come to grips with the end of their preliminary exploration of Vana'diel, and Square Enix brought the beta test to an end at midnight (PST).

However, the end of beta testing marks the advent of the next phase. Square Enix has announced that the Windows version of Final Fantasy XI will ship in North America on October 28, and it will include the expansion pack Rise of the Zilart. All this will sport a price tag of $49.99. As for the PS2 version of Final Fantasy XI, it will be preinstalled on PS2 internal Hard Disk Drives, and will arrive in stores next March with a price tag of $99.

Subscribers will be able to enjoy the first 30 days of online play for free, starting with the creation of their first character, and additional characters will be free as well. Once the trial period ends, players will be able to visit Vana'diel as often as they like for only $12.95 per month, and add up to 15 extra characters for only $1 each per month. For another $1 per month, they can also access an online version of the Final Fantasy IX card game Tetra Master.