Xbox 360: FFXI, EA, Backward-Compatible

On the heels of the Xbox 360 premiere on MTV last week, Microsoft released a flurry of announcements tonight to a packed house at the Shrine Auditorium. Bolstering the promise that Xbox 360 immerses players at the center of the most powerful next-generation games and entertainment experiences, the company revealed that Square Enix Co. Ltd. will release "Final Fantasy XI" for Xbox 360 and Xbox Live.

"We're honored that Square Enix will make games like 'Final Fantasy XI' for the millions of Xbox fans who have anticipated this historical moment for quite some time," said Robbie Bach, senior vice president and chief Xbox officer in the Home and Entertainment Division at Microsoft. "Together, we will chart a new course for the future of video game entertainment."

Demonstrating the strength of a world-class portfolio, EA has committed to a broad lineup of Xbox 360 titles including "Madden NFL 06," "Need for Speed TM Most Wanted," "FIFA 06," "Tiger Woods PGA TOUR? 06," "The Godfather The Game" and "NBA Live 06."

The company also announced Xbox 360 will be backward-compatible with top-selling Xbox games. In addition, more than 160 games are in development for Xbox 360, with 25 to 40 games slated for release this calendar year. All are optimized for high-definition output (720p and 1080i). The following games are among the exciting new titles, many console-exclusives, in development from the biggest names in publishing today: