In celebration of Final Fantasy XI's 9th anniversary on May 16th, Square Enix has announced the return of the popular Fan Art Contest. Keeping with tradition, this year's theme for entries will be the aformentioned anniversary, with the coveted Chocobo Beret in-game item being up for grabs to the winner! Set up your easels, get your brushes and your pencils in top shape, and astound your fellow adventurers with your artistic prowess!

From Playonline.com:

FINAL FANTASY XI is set to enter its ninth year of service on May 16th, and what better way to celebrate the occasion than with the latest installment of the ever-popular Fan Art Contest? Be it a scene from one of your most memorable adventures, a montage of your travels throughout the years, or a joyous anniversary celebration among fast friends, we welcome any and all submissions paying tribute to the 9th Vana'versary theme!

All entries will be judged by an all-star panel consisting of development, operations, community and localization team members who will review the artwork and select the prize-winning masterpieces.

The winning pieces will be featured here in the Topics section after the contest has drawn to a close, and their artists will be rewarded with a very special prize—the Chocobo Beret in-game item!

Best of luck to all entrants, and we look forward to seeing your inspired works!

How to Enter

Requirements:
- Contestants must possess an active FINAL FANTASY XI account.
- All contestants must agree to the defined terms and conditions.
* Contestants under the age of 18 must obtain the permission of a legal guardian before submitting entries.

Submission period: Thursday, April 7, 2011 until Sunday, May 8, 2011 at 7:59 a.m. (PDT).

Theme: 9th Anniversary

How to Submit Your Art: Submissions may be sent via email. The body of the mail should contain all of the required information listed below, with the illustration attached (see below for file format/size information). Emails should be sent to the following address.

Email Subject: 9th Anniversary Fan Art Contest Submission

Required Information:
- Your PlayOnline email address.
- Your FINAL FANTASY XI World name, as well as your character's name.
- Your nickname or handle. (max. 40 characters)
- A title for your artwork. (max. 50 characters)
- A personal comment or caption for your artwork. (max. 100 characters)

*Should your illustration be chosen for display, the above nickname (and your real name, if submitted), artwork title, and personal comment will appear along with your artwork.

Submission Format:
Resolution: 1024x768 or 768x1024 pixels
File Format: .JPG or .GIF
File Size: Up to 750KB
*Entries that do not fulfill the above size requirements may be excluded from judging.
As a general guideline, files should conform to either the 4:3 or 3:4 aspect ratio.

* Illustrations must be original pieces of art.
* Please attach only one illustration per email. Contestants will be limited to only one submission.
* Contestants will not be notified directly of the contest results. Winners will be announced publicly in a Topics posting.
* For sculpted artwork, please take a photograph and submit it via e-mail.

Warning

To avoid any complications concerning submissions, please read the following terms thoroughly. We ask that all contestants understand and agree to these terms prior to submitting their artwork. Square Enix will regard all submissions to the Fan Art Contest as implicit acceptance to these terms, without exception.

Regarding prizes:
Winning contestants may not transfer their claim to a prize to another individual/character.

Regarding personal information:
The personal information accompanying contest entries will be utilized in sending prizes to contest winners. In all regards, personal information will be handled with the utmost security in the same manner as laid forth in the guidelines of the PlayOnline User Agreement.

Regarding inappropriate submissions:
Entries falling under either of the below categories will not be considered by the judges:
- artwork containing obscenity, vulgarity, discrimination, or any other offensive subject matter
- artwork containing any plagiarized or copyrighted material
The following factors may also result in disqualification:
- infringements upon copyright/intellectual property, personal credit, privacy, etc.
- counter to public order and/or morals
- submissions with content judged to be grossly deviant from the established theme
- depiction of characters not related to FINAL FANTASY XI
- entries not containing all of the required information, or containing erroneous information
- contestants must be age 13 or older.
Square Enix reserves the right to judge whether or not material is appropriate for public display

Regarding copyrights:
All submitted entries will become the sole property of Square Enix (in accordance with all rights stipulated by International Copyright Law, Articles 21~26, Article 27, and Article 28, together with all rights provisioned by future amendments to said Articles).

*SQUARE ENIX OWNERSHIP OF ENTRIES
All entries and other materials (the "Entry Materials") (including all copyright, trademark, and other proprietary rights associated therewith) submitted by you become the property of Square Enix upon submission, and Entry Materials will not be returned to any contestant. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, you acknowledge that Square Enix will own all rights to use, modify, and make derivative works of the Entry Materials, without separate compensation to you or any other person or entity. You agree to take, at Square Enix's expense, any further action (including, without limitation, execution of affidavits and other documents) reasonably requested by Square Enix to effect, perfect, or confirm Square Enix's ownership rights as set forth above in this paragraph. Entry Materials may be used by contestants only for purposes of the Contest or for private, personal, non-public viewing. Entry materials received by Square Enix may be destroyed by Square Enix at any time following the Contest.

- No Additional Compensation. "IN NO EVENT WILL THE CONTEST WINNERS BE ENTITLED TO ANY FEE, ROYALTY, OR OTHER COMPENSATION OF ANY KIND AS A RESULT OF THE CONTEST. BY ENTERING, EACH CONTESTANT (AND, IF A MINOR, HIS OR HER PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN) IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO COMPENSATION FOR SQUARE ENIX'S USE OF SUCH CONTESTANT'S ENTRY MATERIALS (AS DEFINED BELOW) IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE RULES."
- General Release. "By entering the Contest, you (and, if you are a Minor, your parents or legal guardians) release Square Enix, other participating sponsors, and any of their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, and agencies (collectively, the "Released Parties") from any liability whatsoever, and waive any and all causes of action, for any claims, costs, injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the Contest or acceptance, possession, or use of any prize (including, without limitation, claims, costs, injuries, losses, and damages related to personal injuries, death, damage to or destruction of property, rights of publicity or privacy, defamation or portrayal in a false light, whether intentional or unintentional), whether under a theory of contract, tort (including negligence), warranty, or other theory. IF YOU ARE A MINOR, YOUR PARENTS OR LEGAL GUARDIANS FURTHER AGREE TO INDEMNIFY EACH OF THE RELEASED PARTIES FROM ANY CLAIMS, COSTS, INJURIES, LOSSES, OR DAMAGES DESCRIBED IN THE PRECEDING PARAGRAPH THAT MAY BE SUFFERED BY YOU."

- Disclaimer. Square Enix, all participating sponsors, and any of their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, professional advisors, employees, and agencies will not be responsible for: (a) any late, lost, misrouted, garbled, or distorted or damaged transmissions or entries; (b) telephone, electronic, hardware, software, network, Internet, or other computer or communications related malfunctions or failures; (c) any Contest disruptions, injuries, losses, or damages caused by events beyond the control of Square Enix or other participating sponsors; or (d) any printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Contest.
- Miscellaneous. "The Contest and these Official Contest Rules will be governed, construed, and interpreted under the laws of the United States. Contestants agree to be bound by these Official Contest Rules and by the decisions of Square Enix, which are final and binding in all respects. Square Enix reserves the right to change these Official Contest Rules at any time, in its sole discretion, and to suspend or cancel the Contest or any contestant's participation in the Contest should viruses, bugs, unauthorized human intervention, or other causes beyond Square Enix's control affect the administration, security, or proper play of the Contest or Square Enix otherwise becomes, as determined in its sole discretion, incapable of running the Contest as planned. Contestants who violate these Official Contest Rules, tamper with the operation of the Contest, or engage in any conduct that is detrimental or unfair to Square Enix, the Contest, or any other contestant, in each case as determined in Square Enix's sole discretion, are subject to disqualification from entry into the Contest. Square Enix reserves the right to disqualify persons whose eligibility is in question or who have been disqualified or are otherwise ineligible to enter the Contest. If you have any questions about these Official Contest Rules or the Contest, please send written questions to Square Enix at the address set forth below."
- Sponsor. "The sponsor of the Contest is Square Enix, Inc. Square Enix is a leading developer and publisher of digital entertainment content. Correspondence regarding the Contest or these Official Contest Rules may be directed to the following address:

Square Enix, Inc.
Attention: FINAL FANTASY XI 9th Anniversary Fan Art Contest
999 North Sepulveda Blvd., Third Floor
El Segundo, California 90245"