Square Enix will optionally use Vasco's authenticator device and one-time password security for its online content and services, including multiplatform MMORPG Final Fantasy XI, which the company claims will be a first for an online game in Japan. Starting April 7th, players who purchase Vasco's Digipass GO6 authenticators can secure their FFXI accounts so that they can only be accessed with a one-time password generated by the small device, which fits on a keychain ring. The solution is similar to Blizzard Entertainment's authenticator for World of Warcraft revealed last June, which is a custom branded version of the one-button Digipass G06 controller. Launched in 2003, FFXI is playable on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 2. Users in Japan, North America, and Europe will be able to take advantage of the authenticator on all three platforms. The announcement comes a month after Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications reported that there were 2,289 cases of fraudulent access to online services in 2008, presumably just in Japan. That amount represented a 26 percent increase over the previous year. While the majority (1,559) of those cases involved online auctions, online game fraud made up 457 of the remaining cases. "In the light of growing concerns about online fraud involving online games, online auctions and online shopping, Vasco believes that over the next few years demand for one-time password solutions to enhance online security will increase significantly, leading to further the market growth for its solutions," says Vasco president and COO Jan Valcke.