"Square-Enix's massively multiplayer 360 title looks set to require a hard drive, despite Microsoft's next-gen plans

12:43 Reports online are indicating that Square-Enix's upcoming Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XI will only be playable if you've got a hard drive jammed onto Microsoft's next-gen machine.

The massively multiplayer version of the popular RPG franchise has already enjoyed widespread success on the PS2 and PC - despite the fact that the game never saw a European release on Sony's machine. In fact, the 360 version will be the first to hit consoles on these shores, likely meaning a lot of fans will be eager to pick up the title at launch.

However, the news that a hard drive is required to play is likely to come as a blow, not only to FF fans intending to snag the cheaper, hard drive-less Core version of the 360, but to Microsoft itself. Since the announcement of the dual packages, the company has been insistent that a hard drive won't be mandatory to enjoy next-gen titles, but that the inclusion of one will enable developers to offer slicker, enhanced gameplay experiences.

It will be interesting to see if other developers choose to ignore Microsoft's pleas to tailor games to the lower spec machine in the light of Square-Enix's decision for such a major franchise, should the news turn out to be true."