Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age was first released in 2017, and fans have eagerly been awaiting the next mainline game since then. Square Enix first revealed Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate in 2021, but four years later, there has been next to no information revealed about the title. The excitement was palpable at the announcement, but now that is fading as the years go by. There are many franchises under Square Enix, but Dragon Quest is one of its most beloved series, along with Final Fantasy. This only makes the wait harder and leaves fans wondering what is going on.
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Mainline games in the Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy series have always been slower regarding development. But after four years of silence on the game, I’m beginning to expect there are serious internal issues, or maybe Square Enix is struggling to figure out how to follow up on Dragon Quest XI.
A Four-Year Silence That Fans Didn’t Expect
Four years is a long time for any major release to go without significant updates, so Dragon Quest XII’s lack of news is glaring. The only thing we know for sure is that the game is darker than others in the series, as Square Enix confirmed this during the announcement. But even this one piece of information is open to speculation. Will the art direction be grittier? Will the story feature heavier moral dilemmas? Or will there just be a more serious tone compared to the lightheartedness of past games?
No one knows, and while Square Enix doesn’t owe fans anything, some bit of news would be nice. I’m tired of hearing “the game is being worked on” because this is the only message the developer shares. Each time a major event goes by, like Tokyo Game Show or the Video Game Awards, I keep expecting an update on Dragon Quest XII but have yet to get one.
What makes this frustrating is how many other projects Square Enix is working on, especially with Dragon Quest. We’ve seen remakes of Dragon Quest I, Dragon Quest II, Dragon Quest III, and now, even a remake of Dragon Quest VII is on the way. Yet none of this attention is being poured into the next mainline game, or at least not publicly. I’m fine with remakes of classic games, but I and fans want some information on Dragon Quest XII as well.
What We Actually Know About Dragon Quest 12
With the lack of updates, little is known about Dragon Quest XII. We have a handful of details that have been confirmed by Yuji Horii, the creator of the Dragon Quest series. He described it as a darker and more mature entry, and believes the game will be great when it is finished. We also know it is using the Unreal Engine 5, but that’s it. This is all we know about the game aside from some internal delays and that progress is being made.
Fans have begun speculating on the one thing we know for sure. A darker and more mature theme is unheard of for the comical series. Typically, fans get silly monster designs, an optimistic tone, and and expressive art style. Horii’s words mean a major tonal shift for the series, which could explain the longer development cycle. Square Enix’s experimentation could be difficult to pull off in the series and this may be why it has been so silent on the game.
Other than that, fans have no idea what the battle system will be like. While recent games in other series have abandoned turn-based combat, Dragon Quest has remained true to it. This doesn’t mean it won’t change though, but I hope it doesn’t. We also have no idea what the narrative will be like, or if voice acting will return. Perhaps it will lean into more cinematic storytelling. Only time will tell, whenever that may be.
The Pressure of Following Up Dragon Quest 11
One thing is for certain, the pressure to follow up Dragon Quest XI must be immense. It is considered one of the best games in the series and has had huge success. This naturally puts big expecations on Dragon Quest XII. Echoes of an Elusive Age managed to balance nostalgia with modernization, offering a massive story, traditional turn-based combat, and quality-of-life-updates that make the game timeless.
Dragon Quest XI satisfied veterans of the series and brought in new players. These will naturally expect the next mainline game to be of similar quality or better. The very high bar for Dragon Quest XII forces Square Enix to walk a tight line, further explaining why the studio has been quiet. Push too far into mature territory and it may lose the series’ identity. But if it doesn’t innovate enough, the experiment may fail to stand out.
Square Enix has seen mixed success with recent titles. Forspoken had an underwhelming launch and reception, while Final Fantasy VII Remake has been widely praised. As it looks to the future with Dragon Quest XII and even Final Fanasy XVII, Square Enix has to be very careful with its decisions. I understand the desire to keep things close to the chest, but after four years, fans are due some kind of update on Dragon Quest XII.
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