Dragon Quest Turns 40, But DQ12 Is Delayed

On May 27, 1986, Dragon Quest was released in Japan, the progenitor of a legendary series that defined the genre we commonly call JRPG. To celebrate its fortieth birthday, Square Enix shared a video featuring another legendary figure, Japanese game designer Yuji Horii (the "father" of Dragon Quest), who, along with producer Yosuke Saito, updated us on the franchise's next installment. 

What happened to Dragon Quest XII?

Dragon Quest XI was released in 2017, so nine years have passed: the wait for the new chapter of the saga has been very long, but unfortunately, it is destined to continue even longer. The reason is simple: the game's development was reset and started from scratch, with a team composed of different people. The project thus lost years, but according to Saito, the change in direction was necessary to deliver a result that lives up to expectations.

Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams - first details

The video also revealed the very first information about the game, which will be called Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams (previously named DQ XII: The Flames of Fate). Horii tells us that the protagonist is a hero tormented by strange visions in his sleep, without providing further details. Like previous installments in the series, Dragon Quest XII will feature character designs by Akira Toriyama and music by Koichi Sugiyama, two lamented masters of their respective arts.

The Update from the Dragon Quest team video