Summary
- Development on Dragon Quest 12 is in full swing, according to series creator Yuji Horii.
- The game's turn-based battle system will be changed in some way, and players can expect a darker entry in the franchise.
- Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake will be released sometime in 2025.
Series creator Yuji Horii has provided a new update regarding Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate, confirming that development is currently in full swing. Information about Dragon Quest 12 has been scarce since it was first announced in May 2021, with the game's development negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the loss of important staff members on the project.
Although the Dragon Quest series has always been more popular in Japan, it has started to find a more sturdy foothold in the West thanks to the success of recent titles. Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake was a surprise hit for Square Enix, surpassing two million copies sold in the three months following its release in November 2024. The game, a remake of the original title for the NES, introduced numerous quality-of-life improvements and utilized the now-popular HD-2D graphical engine. Now, players are looking to the future, with most curious about the next mainline title in the almost 40-year-old franchise.
Every Mainline Dragon Quest Game, Ranked
There have been many mainline titles in the Dragon Quest series throughout the years though some stand out above the rest.
In a recent chat with Gamereactor, series creator Yuji Horii confirmed that the development team was "working hard" on Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate, though details beyond this were scarce. "I'm putting lots of work into it," Horii said. "I can only say that the next work will be great. Please look forward to it, is the only thing I can say." The popular creator also went on record in February to say that development on Dragon Quest 12 was progressing well, giving some hope to those desperate for more content. During the Dragon Quest 35th anniversary livestream, it was confirmed that the game's turn-based battle system would be changed, though Horii stressed that it would disappear completely. He also stated that the next game's story would be darker and more adult-oriented, with a player's choices having a large impact on the world.
Series Creator Says That He Is ‘Putting Lots of Work’ Into Dragon Quest 12
In April, Dragon Quest 12's producer stepped down, leading many to show concern over the project's future. Yu Miyake worked on the franchise starting in 1992, but recently took a new position at the company, now leading Square Enix's smartphone games division. Additionally, in 2024, Horii expressed concern over the 12th installment following the deaths of Akira Toriyama and Koichi Sugiyama, though he stressed that he would do his best without them.
While a release window for Dragon Quest 12 likely won't be revealed for quite some time, fans of the series have something to look forward to in 2025. Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake is scheduled to release this year for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, and those playing the HD-2D remakes chronologically will reportedly be in for a special surprise.
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Franchise
- Dragon Quest
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
