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Sand Land, a game adaptation of Akira Toriyama's manga, drops on April 26
Bandai Namco’s Sand Land finally has a release date of April 26. This is a video game adaptation of a classic manga by artist Akira Toriyama.
'Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate' will bring a new battle system
For the 35th anniversary of Dragon Quest, Square Enix had six game announcements including 'Dragon Quest X Offline' and the title for 'Dragon Quest XII.'
'Dragon Quest XI S' comes to Xbox and PC on December 4th
'Dragon Quest XI S' is making its way to Xbox One, PC and PS4 later this year.
Classic Dragon Quest games come to Nintendo Switch
Dragon Quest became the prototypical JRPG when it launched on the Nintendo Famicom in 1986. Its first two sequels formed the Erdrick Trilogy, cementing Enix as a role-playing powerhouse. All three games will be making their way to the Nintendo Switch on September 27th to coincide with the latest release in the series, Dragon Quest XI S: Echos of an Elusive Age.
Dragon Quest XI's hero comes to 'Super Smash Bros. Ultimate' this summer
Nintendo's E3 Direct opened up with one of the bigger announcements fans were waiting for: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC. This time around, it's a crossover with Dragon Quest XI, with that game's unnamed main character joining the roster of fighters. He's the second DLC character to arrive in SSBU following Joker from Persona 5. Meanwhile, Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age: Definitive Edition is coming to Switch later this year. The Hero from the #DragonQuest series will be joining Super #SmashBrosUltimate! Purchase the Fighters Pass now and prepare to take to the battlefield with your hero this summer.https://t.co/hJmYO8YgVN pic.twitter.com/1YzOEgEZmA — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) June 11, 2019 But that's not all! Banjo-Kazooie are also coming to SSBU. The iconic bear and bird platformer duo will be available as a DLC fighter this fall. Your favorite bear-bird duo, Banjo & Kazooie, is joining Super #SmashBrosUltimate! Grab the Fighters Pass and get ready for when Banjo-Kazooie arrive on the battlefield this fall. https://t.co/hJmYO8YgVN pic.twitter.com/tsypQJpdBC — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) June 11, 2019
'Dragon Quest XI' arrives on Switch this fall
Yes, it's true: Dragon Quest XI for the Switch is coming. Square Enix has announced that Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age: Definitive Edition (phew) will be available sometime in the fall. As hinted earlier, it won't be a plain port. The trailer doesn't make mention of a possible ending change, but you will get to swap between the regular 3D mode and a retro 2D mode on the fly. You'll also hear a fully orchestrated soundtrack in battle and on the field, and you can choose between English and Japanese voices. If you were waiting to play DQXI on the Switch or just want a quintessential JRPG for Nintendo's hybrid console, this is likely to scratch your itch.
'Dragon Quest' spin-off borrows a few blocks from 'Minecraft'
Square Enix has just revealed Dragon Quest Builders, a version of its fantasy RPG set in a Minecraft-style world. The company didn't provide many details other than the screengrab above, which bears a strong resemblance to Minecraft's Lego-like world. However, it did say that it'll be a "block-building RPG" set in Alfegard, the (blocky) 8-bit playground from the original 1986 Dragon Quest NES title. That, plus the 'Builders' title, definitely makes it sound like the spinoff will marry sandbox-type gameplay with Dragon Quest role-playing. If so, we're not sure if that's a brilliant idea or a cynical money grab, but it'll be coming to PS4, PS3 and PS Vita at an as-yet unknown date.
FFXIV, FFXI, and Dragon Quest 10 subscribers total(ed) 'nearly' 1M
Square-Enix has released its summary of 2014's finances with the start of the new year, and the good news is that it looks pretty rosy. According to the summary of the financial year that ended in March of 2014, the company's fortunes had improved immensely. Of more specific interest to the MMO market, of course, is the fact that the report gives some idea of the subscribers for Final Fantasy XIV, Final Fantasy XI, and the currently Japan-only title Dragon Quest X. According to the report, all three titles together boasted "nearly" one million subscribers, with the lion's share likely belonging to Final Fantasy XIV. Specifics are not discussed, nor does the report clarify whether these subscriber numbers are from the end of the financial year in March or the end of the calendar year in December (we assume the former). The most recent official word from Square-Enix was 2.5 million registered accounts for FFXIV in December 2014.
Theatrhythm Dragon Quest trailer cuts down Metal Slimes
Theatrhythm Dragon Quest's debut trailer, shown by Square Enix during Jump Festa 2015, likely resembles what Theatrhythm fans imagined when the rhythmic 3DS game was announced last week; a tap-to-the-beat reunion with heroes, monsters and backing tracks from the Dragon Quest series. The familiar Field and Event Music Stage playstyles are accounted for, but a top-down, Rock Band-style setup seems to shift the four-lane Battle layout from the horizontal scrolling found in previous Theatrhythm releases. Theatrhythm Dragon Quest will arrive in Japan on March 26, 2015, but a Western release has yet to be confirmed. It's reassuring that previous Theatrhythm games have launched outside of Japan and that Square Enix is gradually releasing mobile ports of Dragon Quest games, but the latest, MMO-flavored entry to the main series, Dragon Quest 10, never reached Western adventurers. [Image: Square Enix]
Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest games discounted on mobile
If you've been jonesing for some retro-styled RPG questing but stopped short of buying your favorites when you saw Square Enix's premium mobile game prices, your patience has paid off. Many games in the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest franchises are now available from iTunes and Google Play at steep discounts as part of Square Enix's Mobile Holiday Sale. Starting this week, you can pick up remade mobile ports of Final Fantasy 1 and 2 for $3.99 apiece. Final Fantasy 3 through 6 are up for grabs at $7.99 each, and Final Fantasy Tactics is currently on sale for $6.99. Dragon Quest series fans get some love with price drops for Dragon Quest 2 ($2.99) and Dragon Quest 8 ($12.99). If SNES throwbacks are your thing, you might also want to grab Chrono Trigger at $4.99 and Secret of Mana for $3.99. Sale prices are in effect through January 5. [Image: Square Enix)
Theatrhythm Dragon Quest announced
When Square Enix mused about Theatrhythm crossing to properties other than Final Fantasy, we all knew where that train of thought was headed. Sure enough, Theatrhythm Dragon Quest is now officially a thing, and it's coming to 3DS in Japan on March 26, 2015. Details are sparse for now and there's no confirmation of a Western release, though both Theatrhythm Final Fantasy games have made their way to our shores. Square Enix is set to share more on the game at the Jump Festa event later this month, including a debut trailer.
Dragon Quest 3 now adventuring on iOS, Android
Square Enix's classic JRPG Dragon Quest 3 is out now for iOS and Android devices, marking its first English-language rerelease in over a decade. Originally released for the 8-bit Famicom in 1988, Dragon Quest 3 was the first entry in the series that allowed players to create a custom party drawn from multiple character classes. The game also introduced innovations like a day/night cycle and a character job-changing system. A localized version later made its way to the Nintendo Entertainment System, and an upgraded Game Boy Color port landed stateside in 2001. Dragon Quest 3's mobile debut follows up on the recent iOS and Android launches of Dragon Quest, Dragon Quest 4, and Dragon Quest 8. Dragon Quest 3 is priced at $9.99. [Image: Square Enix]
Classic JRPG Dragon Quest 2 out now on iOS, Android
A mobile port of Square Enix's 8-bit era RPG Dragon Quest 2 is now available on iTunes and Google Play, following up on an adaptation of its predecessor released last month. Debuting for the Famicom back in 1987, Dragon Quest 2 introduced many features that quickly became staples for the genre, including multi-character parties, battles against hordes of monsters, and vehicles that aid navigation across an expansive overworld. Today's release is part of Square Enix's ongoing plans to bring a number of Dragon Quest games to mobile platforms, and joins previously released ports of Dragon Quest 4 and Dragon Quest 8. Dragon Quest 3 is next in line to receive the mobile treatment. A Hyrule Warriors-style series spinoff, Dragon Quest Heroes, is due to launch next year for PlayStation platforms in Japan. [Image: Square Enix]
Dragon Quest now squashing Slimes on iOS, Android
Furthering its efforts to ensure you're never stuck commuting without a lengthy, time-killing RPG, Square Enix has launched its mobile version of Dragon Quest on Google Play and iTunes. Regardless of which shop you bring your bag of gold to, you'll need $2.99 to set out and stop the peace-destroying Dragonlord once more. Dragon Quest's arrival falls right into Square Enix's Slime-plagued porting schedule, which involves ports of DQ2 and DQ3 in the coming months. Dragon Quest mobile producer Noriyoshi Fujimoto has expressed concern over the feasibility of a pocket-sized adaptation of DQ7 however, largely due to its heaps of text. [Image: Square Enix]
Report: More Dragon Quest mobile ports on the way
Square Enix's mobile ports of Dragon Quest 4 and Dragon Quest 8 must not have strained the publisher's budget too terribly, as Game Informer reports the RPG nostalgia train will keep running on mobile devices. According to the report, a mobile port of the first DQ is due within the next few weeks, though it's to be based on a 2004 remake that was for Japanese mobile devices. The report also claims that versions of DQ2 and DQ3 will follow in the coming months. It's fair to assume Square Enix will exhaust the numerical DQ lineup until they catch up to DQ8, but there could be an interesting exception: according to the report, DQ mobile producer Noriyoshi Fujimoto has said that DQ7 is "technically impossible" to port at this time due to its volumes of text. The report also states that the DQ games that do arrive on phones and tablets will be tweaked to be more accommodating, with frequent saves, tweaked encounter rates and boosted experience payouts among the adjustments. Unfortunately, we're still without word on whether the briefly-popular Dargon Quest spinoff series will ever see a successor. [Image: Square Enix]
Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii confirms development of next entry
It's less "shocking revelation" and more "no-brainer inevitability," yet word of a new roleplaying game in the beloved Dragon Quest franchise still comes as big news simply by virtue of the series' hallowed pedigree. According to a Gematsu translation of a Game Jouhou report, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii delivered the news at the recent Nico Nico Super Conference 3. Horii offered no solid information on the game, simply describing it as the "next" Dragon Quest, before moving on to other topics. Before fans of classic, turn-based, Japanese roleplaying games get too excited, keep in mind that we have no word on when this new game might appear, nor if it will be available outside of Japan. Dragon Quest X, the most recent entry in the franchise, offers Japanese fans a massively multiplayer online world, but has yet to see release outside of its native land. Dragon Quest publisher Square Enix refused to comment on Horii's statement. [Image: Square Enix]
Dragon Quest creator: 'There are no talks' for DQ11 on smartphones
Mobile installments in RPG franchises aren't exactly unheard of these days, but not every series is ready to trade in its controllers for a smartphone. In a recent addition to his Famitsu column, as translated by Siliconera, Square Enix mobile developer Takehiro Andou asked Dragon Quest series creator Yuji Horii about the possibility of Dragon Quest 11 reaching mobile devices. "At the current stage, there are no talks about making DQ11 for smartphones," Horii replied. "I believe that there's still plenty left to overcome before we release a proper sequel for smartphones." While consoles might be prioritized during the launch of DQ11, the majority of the series will reach iOS and Android devices in Japan, including this winter's port of Dragon Quest 10. Still, knocking around Slimes in DQ11 using a TV and tangible buttons sounds like a preferred starting point for the future installment.
Dragon Quest 1-8 head for smartphones
Square Enix is giving the smartphone treatment to the Dragon Quest series, with the first eight numbered games all on the way to iOS and Android. Dragon Quest 1 gets things started this year, a teaser site confirming it's coming to iOS and Android in Japan in the winter. There's no word on prices yet, or which versions of each game will be ported over; DQ 5 and DQ 6 recently came to DS, for example. The announcement is only for Japan, but bear in mind Square Enix released smartphone ports for Final Fantasy 1-5 worldwide. Meanwhile, a new Dragon Quest Monsters game, subtitled Super Light, is also on the way to iOS and Android. There are no details on the spinoff entry as yet, but you can go enjoy a cavalcade of bleepy bloopy sound effects on its teaser site.
Dragon Quest X expansion set for TGS 2013 reveal
Square Enix has announced plans to reveal a brand-new Dragon Quest X expansion at Tokyo Game Show 2013. Titled The Ghost That Never Sleeps, the content addition will expand upon the main Dragon Quest X story and add new maps, systems, jobs, and crafts. This announcement follows news that a PC version of Dragon Quest X would be seeing release on September 26th and comments from Square Enix indicating that the game is edging closer to an overseas launch. Tokyo Game Show begins September 19th. Check out the trailer for the PC launch after the break.
Coming soon to a console near you: MMOs
Remember E3 2013? That huge video games conference thing from earlier in the summer? Weeks have passed since Microsoft and Sony squared off in the Los Angeles convention center (while Nintendo posted up at Best Buy and Ouya sulked in the parking lot), but the news made there continues to reverberate through the games industry. One curious trend seems to have been missed amid the clashing of proverbial titans: There sure are a lot of MMOs and online-focused games due on consoles this generation. And since MMOs are the business of Massively, we thought it might be fun to compile a quick list of all the ones we can find that are either already available on our current consoles or set for launch on the next batch. The list, as it turns out, is pretty extensive.
