Dragon Quest 40th Anniversary Celebration Reveals A New Name & Trailer for Dragon Quest XII

During the 40th anniversary (May 27th) of the seminal Dragon Quest series, creator Yuji Horii and producer Yōsuke Saitō provided an update for its twelfth mainline game. Originally announced in 2021 as Dragon Quest XII: Flames of Fate, it has now been renamed to Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams. Alongside its new name, a trailer was also shown, giving us a brief look at its characters juxtaposed against a vibrant world laced with classic fantasy and science fiction. Check it out below!

Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams Trailer

Saitō and Horii both confirmed that the project underwent a full restart in development, with Saitō stating that work on Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate “…hit a lot of hurdles along the way.” With communication between him, Horii, and the team, they “…pinned down what a mainline Dragon Quest game should look like…” with confidence that this decision, even with an extended development time, will lead to a game that “…fans of the series will really love.”

Horii proceeded to hint at the story of Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams, as led by an unnamed protagonist who is visited by strange dreams while he slumbers, with Horii stating, “What lies beyond dreams? Surely not a world of darkness, but a bright and exciting future.”

Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams Screenshots

A new Dragon Quest Monsters spin-off game was also announced, titled Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World. It will release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. The game will follow protagonists Bianca and Nera, who feature in the beloved Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride. No additional information has been given at this time, barring a short teaser trailer and logo, as seen below:

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World Artwork

Elsewhere in the DQ world, Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age is coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 this fall — September 24th, to be precise. While this version will largely offer the same features as the original “S” release, the Switch 2 edition will have a new display mode feature, allowing players to prioritize either graphics or frame rate/performance. Pre-orders are open now on the Nintendo eShop.

Finally, Square Enix also announced that the trio of recent remakes — Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake & Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake — have now sold a combined total of 4 million copies worldwide. [Editor’s Note: It probably stands to reason we may see DQIV–VI eventually get a similar treatment, given this level of success…]

It’s wonderful to know that development on the next mainline entry in the Dragon Quest series continues apace. Personally, I’m almost always of the opinion that more time for a creative project, especially at the scope of what Beyond Dreams promises, can only be a good thing.

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