The guys at Square Enix have a big month coming up with the release of the long-awaited Final Fantasy XIII next week and announcements that three new add-ons are in the works for Final Fantasy XI. But also on the horizon is the beginning of beta testing for Final Fantasy XIV, their newest MMO.

According to 1Up.com, the first wave of beta invites for Final Fantasy XIV will be going out beginning March 11th to those who applied back in December. The beta will expand over time for those who aren’t initially invited. The beta will only be available on PC, at first, but the game is slated for release later this year so you won’t have to wait long to get your hands on the game for PS3.

Final Fantasy XIV takes place in the land of Eorzea, whose nations have banded together after constant war to stem the threat of the Garlean Empire. When the threat subsided, the resulting peace left many soldiers  without a job. As one of these soldiers, players will form guilds, becoming adventurers.

The game will be hitting the gaming shelves for PC and the PS3 this winter, and keep it here for more details as we get closer to it’s release.

Buzz has been surrounding Square Enix’s upcoming MMO title, Final Fantasy XIV, ever since the trailer was revealed earlier this year at E3. While the game won’t be out for awhile, details have been slowly leaking, and recently the official website released some details on some new classes and the weapons they’ll wield in Final Fantasy XIV.

The first new class revealed is the gladiator. This class favors close-range combat, using a wide range of blades to hack and slash at their opponent. They also sport shields and throwing knives. Another class, the pugilist, has also been revealed. This class uses its bare fists or hand-to-hand weaponry to take down their adversaries.

Their weapon of choice, himantes, are regulation weapons, soaked in tallow for increased durability. Final Fantasy XIV will be available in Japanese, English, French and German for Windows PC and Playstation 3 sometime in 2010. Check out some of the new classes and weapons after the jump.

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