SH-60B helicopter over the city of Sendai, Japan.
Due to the horrific natural disasters that have struck Japan these last few days, Japanese power companies are urging the populous to conserve as much precious electrical energy as possible. With the massive earthquake that hit Japan on Friday, the looming nuclear threat and more recently, the eruption of Shinmoedake volcano, power outages threaten to cripple the nation even further. Due to the grim situation in the country, Square-Enix has announced that it is shutting down game servers temporarily, suspending Final Fantasy XIV, Final Fantasy XI, and PlayOnline services.
This suspension went into effect on March 13th, 2011, and is expected to last for at least a week. Square-Enix will provide further details regarding the reinstatement of services when such information becomes available. Players will not be charged for month due to this suspension.
After a humbling apology, Square-Enix asks for the understanding of its fanbase due to such “unusual” situations. It has been a tragic and disturbing series of events for the Japanese people, and we hope that Japan can get back on its feet quickly in light of such grave circumstances. Our thoughts go out to everyone with loved ones affected by these disasters.
