Square-Enix Announces Dragon Quest XI

Earlier today, Square-Enix announced that the eleventh main line entry in the Dragon Quest series is currently in development. While the company did not indicate a release date, they did confirm that Dragon Quest XI would be coming to the PlayStation 4 and the Nintendo 3DS platforms, and added that the development team is currently investigating the possibility of bringing the game to the forthcoming Nintendo "NX" platform. The company offered no insight as to whether the game would ever be released outside of Japan.

The announcement was part of a press conference focused on all things Dragon Quest. While video of the conference is available, it's untranslated and pretty long. Thankfully, Gemetsu pulled out the footage of DQXI for easy consumption. The PS4 version of the game runs on the Unreal 4 engine, and looks like it offers an updated, slightly more detailed version of the anime inspired, cel-shaded aesthetic of Dragon Quest VIII and X.

The Nintendo 3DS version of the DQXI will be the same game as the PS4 release, but it does depart in one key way: While the 3DS' top screen will display a polygonal game world akin to the PS4 game, the bottom screen will show a top down, SNES-style view of play, complete with sprites. In the video Square-Enix released, battles can be seen in both 3D and 2D modes. It's a strange feature, but it makes a little more sense once you consider that this game may end up being released next year, during Dragon Quest's 30th year anniversary. The 2D/3D blend would make a sort of novel bit of recognition to the long history of the series.

Unfortunately for me, that long history isn't something I know a ton about. The Dragon Quest franchise is actually one of my major gaming blind spots, but it's not that I haven't tried to give it a fair shake. I put about ten hours into Dragon Quest V, which has the interesting premise of following a single hero through life from youth to parenthood, before getting distracted by something else. I dabbled with the charming Dragon Quest VIII when that was released, but my PS2 broke on me midway through. And while I spent (and enjoyed) a few dozen hours with Dragon Quest IX, I came nowhere near completing it.

Maybe if the stars (and spreadsheets) align just so, DQXI will get a Western release and I'll be able to give the series another shot.

I wonder what sort of cuts they're making to the 3ds version. If its just graphics we're cool, if they cut content as well that we goin rumble.

@austin_walker I take it there is no mention of a localization effort for DQ XI at this time?

Please come out over here. I need Fraioli to do an XI in 11 podcast and I'd like to play along.

Maybe if the stars (and spreadsheets) align just so, DQXI will get a Western release

NEVER EVER

I feel like I boot up DQVIII once a year, find that I forgot where I was, toy with restarting the game and then ultimately turn it off and play a different PS2 game instead. I bought the game when it first came out and really wanted to finish it and just never had the time or motivation.

Man, I would love a new main series DQ but the West has been burned so much lately in terms of localization, it's hard to get excited about it. I've beaten all except VII and it sucks that we never got that 3DS version.

I just want the DQVII 3DS remake to come to NA. :(

@petiew: It's coming to PS4, which isn't flying off the shelves in Japan so I would expect it.

Cool, I guess. But I'm not really optimistic for a US release, and that's the only way I'd play it.

At least English fans will be able to import the PS4 version of the game and stumble through it. I don't expect to see the 3DS game in English (PS4 version has a better chance), but I hope it does.

The consideration of DQ X and DQ XI for the Nintendo NX is a cool and maddening bit of news. The only thing for sure is that the NX might have two Dragon Quest games on it. It's still up in the air whether the NX is a souped up portable or a PS4-like home console. For me, I hope it means the NX is a home console that supports Unreal Engine 4 and is technically similar to the PS4.

You can never assume anything with Nintendo and hardware, though.

Gematsu*

Yeah, my only DQ is IX. Beat it and it was like "grind grottos? nope!". V and VIII that you've dabbled in I wanna get around to, and this probably.

Okay I'm incredibly excited for the PS4 version and all but I really hope it's not gonna be compromised by them making almost 3 games at once with this.

DQ X not coming over made some kind of sense. It was an online game released for a console that had the smallest online community. Also their could have been a big discrepancy in the % of people online in Japan vs the West.

I fully expect this game to come over on both PS4 and 3DS. We are getting DQ Heroes in a few months after all.

@fonzinator: Dragon Quest X did come out on PC as well, but we already have Final Fantasy 14 and the western audience for both of those games probably intersects quite a bit.

I played a bit of Dragon Quest VIII and really enjoyed it, also played some of IX but beat neither. This might convince me to go back and finally finish those off because from what I'm seeing this could be a day one purchase for me if it comes over here.

hypeeeee

Yeah, I really hope this gets localised

I would buy a 3DS if they localized VII.

I mean, i would maybe a whiney comment about it not being on PC...but it's not like we'll see it over here anyway.

Too bad you didn't play more of V, it's probably my personal favorite, for the exact reason you mentioned. Love the idea of seeing the protagonist grow up, find love, lose a family member, start a family, etc..

I played through the first five games a few years ago on a quest (hah!) to learn more about this highly revered series and I think they hold up quite well if you can get into the right mindset.

You could also easily play through the first DQ in a day, it's really short compared to other JRPGs.

Edit: Actually, now that I think about it, II-V are still "short" by JRPG standards. I'd say they're no more than 30-40 hours long. VI is where it's starting to get fairly long and VII is absolutely insane, one of the most expansive games I've ever seen.

Just look at these stats:

Dragon Quest I

Dragon Quest IV

Dragon Quest VII

But VII is a serious outlier, for sure. The scope of that game is nuts.

DQ IX was the only one I played all the way through,but I loved it. Really hoping this one comes out in NA.

Dragon Quest VIII and IX are among my favorite RPG's of all time. I cannot wait for XI.

I love me some dairy queen. Eleven.

I'm guessing even the Wii U version of DQ X is never leaving Japan, then? I could understand the Wii version never coming over because by the time the Japanese version came out, the Wii was pretty dead aside from random late games like English version of Xenoblade and Skyward Sword and not much else. But the Wii U version might've had a shot, but maybe DQ is unknown enough that it makes no business sense, similar to PSO2.

I wish single-player RPG series would stop occasionally tossing an MMO into their numbered entries. C'mon, we all know that FF XI and XIV don't really count in the pantheon of video games that people will talk about in regards to JRPGs, like 20 years from now.

Same!

This is fantastic news!

Ditto, and given that Square let it slip that they are translating it into French I think our odds are pretty good.

http://www.siliconera.com/2015/07/04/report-dragon-quest-vii-and-dragon-quest-viii-remakes-being-localized/

I wonder if the 3ds version will hold the ps4 version back graphically. How did the 3ds version of ni no kuni look? is it even level 5 doing it?

This is what I'm worried about. Can't imagine the work translating very easily between PS4 and 3DS.

Ya'll are crazy if you think a new proper installment to the series on PS4 won't be released over here.

Missing an MMO and a remake of the worst one does not indicate that they've abandoned in it the west to me.

@confusedowl: @fonzinator: An interesting thing to take note of is that I've read that the Wii U/Wii version of Dragon Quest X have the higher percentage of subscribers and players. Granted, this is chat room chatter, but it does hold up when considering Japanese gamers' relationship with the PC as a platform.

I disagree with that. While its annoying due to the radically different play styles and time commitments, I will not deny the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest MMOs from their place in their respective series. I've read too many warm and fond stories from Final Fantasy XI players to deny their experiences as something divorced from Final Fantasy. After playing a lot of Final Fantasy XIV, I loved my time with it and it is the one MMO that I wish I could make the time and money to play it again. From impressions on 8-4 Play, Dragon Quest X is a good time and makes interesting design choices to bridge the gap between single-player RPGs and MMORPGS.

@eribuster: It's just such a different type of game, going from controlling a party to controlling a single MMO character, going from a linear singleplayer game where the narrative ostensibly matters to an MMO where it's more about grouping with people and socializing than the story.

Like, they could've referred to WoW as Warcraft 4, but they didn't.

If it ever comes to the West, I'm getting it on 3DS on day 1! :D

FYI, the story in both FF MMOs is a pretty huge deal. Closer to The Old Republic than Runescape. I remember being pumped for the Wings of the Goddess expansion to FF XI because I wanted the story to continue. Of course it's still a multiplayer game where socializing is a big aspect, but they're still much more story-driven than most other MMOs.

Definitely excited for PS4 JRPGs.

DQVIII best DQ

The Gematsu article says the subtitle is "In Search of Departed Time." I hope that every time you use a potion the main character goes on a long tangent about how it evokes his memories of drinking potions as a child and then he ponders what the true nature of a "quest" is.

@thatoneguyzack: I hope every time your character drinks a potion, your character also takes a drag from a cigarette and says "Livin' on borrowed time."

@thatoneguyzack:Dragon Quest: À la recherche du temps perdu

I'd try it if I could figure out what came out when and what was new and what wasn't.

Miyake alluded to the fact last year, alot of recent Japanese games have had a PS4 version just for the western market.

http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2014/09/05/dragon-quest-xi-likely-to-see-north-american-release-x-not-coming-westward/102709/

Yu Miyake Dragon Quest X1 Executive Producer “We’re pretty sure that Dragon Quest XI will see some sort of western release” 5th Sept 2014

I was always more a Dragon Quest Monsters fan

Gotta admit, the fact this news story only has 40 comments which is minscule compared to most GB news articles or so does make me kinda sad. This is absolutely huge news! ... and few people seem to talking about it (let alone the new Tri-Ace game that I haven't even see mentioned on the GB forums)

Maybe the west really doesn't care much about Dragon Quest.

PS4 Release? Okay, Im down to play my first JRPG in years

I'm playing throught the NES DQ games right now, and they're very fascinating from a historical standpoint. I can easily see why they were so popular in Japan and did so poorly in the West. I'm considering doing an article / blog on it when I finish IV (Just started III).

Anyway, I was wondering when the next game would drop. I have to imagine the 3DS version will be the best selling. I also kind of like the polygon / sprite idea. Neat, if not game changing.

Dragon Quest IX is probably my favourite RPG of ALL TIME. Creating Custom Characters, see the enemies on the field, so much stuff to discover! Different classes - it looked good, and if I hadn't have lent it to my sister I'd probably play it again (Despite the fact that it requires a large time investment).

It is probably the first of the series to catch and hold my attention all the way through.

I like Dragon Quest better than Final Fantasy. DQV is one of my all-time favorite games. I am so ready for a new DQ game and if (please oh please) Square brings it to the States, I will definitely pick it up. Not sure if I want it on 3DS or PS4, though. I am currently leaning handheld.