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Japan gets first DQ IX 'Story Quest' DLC July 24
Andriasang.com reports that Japan will receive the first "Story Quest" DLC for Dragon Quest IX this Friday, July 24. While there aren't specific details as to what a Story Quest actually is, it certainly sounds fairly self-explanatory. The DLC is entitled "Rikka's Dream Treasure" and tasks players with snagging a specific treasure map for Rikka the innkeeper. Andria Sang notes that treasure maps are distributed randomly, which could make the quest a bit more difficult than it sounds. Another standard quest will also be available, "Wonderful Birthday," in which a character is searching for an item available on the Dragon Quest IX Wi-Fi shopping system. So, we guess you have to buy someone something? Doesn't seem like much of a quest, really. Still, if you've already cleared Dragon Quest IX -- which is actually a requirement for playing the DLC -- you're probably ready for more.
Square Enix expects to ship 5 million copies of Dragon Quest IX
Last week, Square Enix president Yoichi Wada gave a statement to Japanese press that helps illustrate the company's (justifiable) sales expectation for Dragon Quest IX. "We're looking at reaching over 5 million copies of Dragon Quest IX shipped," he said, as translated by Kotaku. With three million shipped in the game's first week, 2.3 million of which sold right away, five million seems conservative, and we can only assume Wada is referring only to shipments in Japan. Somewhat less conservative is the forecast Wada made last year, of ten million units. While we have absolutely no doubt DQIX will break a record or two in Japan with the combination of Dragon Quest-level initial sales and DS-style longterm sales, that still seems optimistic.
Dragon Quest IX leads to increased DS sales in Japan
Nintendo of America touted the DS's sales in June, noting that the handheld outsold every home console combined, according to the June NPD numbers. Nintendo of Japan has its own success to be proud of, thanks to the release of Dragon Quest IX, which -- can you believe it -- led to increased hardware sales last week. According to Media Create, the DSi sold 118,202 units last week, up from the previous week's 46,855. That actually seems like a pretty minor boost given that Dragon Quest sold over two million copies, and given that the red DSi launched alongside it. The DS Lite even managed to sell 10,161 units, presumably because DSis were sold out. %Gallery-15248% [Via MCV]
McDonalds offering exclusive Dragon Quest IX minigame
Following the conclusion of the Pokemon Stamp Rally, the "Mac de DS" program at McDonalds will feature a promotion that ties into the biggest DS game of the year, Dragon Quest IX. Dragon Quest: McDonalds no Tabibito-tachi (McDonalds' Travelers) is a downloadable, battle-only Dragon Quest IX minigame in which players battle monsters in order to level up to level 10. It can only be played once per day -- if you want to continue leveling your character, you have to return to Mickey D's and grab the file again. Visit five times -- whether you complete the game or not -- and you get a free burger. It's a way for DQ fans to get a little extra content, and for that one guy who didn't buy DQIX to try out the game. The DQIX promotion runs from July 31 through September 1.
Famitsu hands Dragon Quest IX a 40
Famitsu has given Dragon Quest IX a perfect 40/40 score in its review. According to Kotaku, the reviewers lauded DQIX's "ground breaking" multiplayer and its music, and called the storyline "easy to follow and straightforward, but also with moving scenes as well." While it's kind of a running joke that Famitsu basically rubber-stamps effusive reviews for Square Enix titles, we were surprised to discover that this game is actually the first Dragon Quest to receive a perfect 40, and is one of only ten 40 scores awarded. Of course, Dragon Quests III, VII, and VIII weren't far off with their 39 ratings. Kotaku also notes that the Amazon Japan reviews tend ... not to be as positive, though they apparently center around complaints about the Sandy character, an annoying ganguro fairy who has already inspired a "Die Sandy " Flash game.
Dragon Quest IX sells 2.3 million copies in two days
Japanese consumers eagerly grabbed up copies of Square Enix's Dragon Quest IX over the weekend, putting to rest any concern that the move to a handheld system would bother fans in the least. Enterbrain reports that the game sold 2,343,440 copies in its first week -- its "first week" actually being two days. Media Create reports a similar total of 2,318,932 copies. This beats the first-week record set by ... Dragon Quest VIII, of course! Media Create reports a sell-through rate of 81.56%, suggesting (according to Andriasang) that it probably sold out in some locations. There's something very comforting about reading stories of massive Dragon Quest sales in Japan. It's a reminder that some things in the gaming world are just like we remember them, even after decades. After the break, you can watch the game's intro movie as you begin the long wait for localization. [Image via GAME Watch, video via Gemaga]
2 million people pre-ordered Dragon Quest IX
Square Enix is set to unload Dragon Quest IX onto the Japanese populace this week and it's apparently a big deal over there. A report (via Inside Games) shows the title has over two million pre-orders across various retailers in the country. It just blows our minds, because Japan has never been that fond of the Dragon Quest franchise. So, for those of you keeping score on your Craz-o-meters, this is basically Gary Busey-level stuff we're talking about here. It's like running around in the street with no pants on, screaming that you're the person responsible for velcro technology and the Aurora Borealis. [Via Kotaku]
Fake Dragon Quest IX ROM punishes overeager pirates
Okay, let's get this out of the way right up front: Downloading what you think is a ROM of the Japanese release of Dragon Quest IX, days before it even comes out, is not cool. It turns out that it will probably also end up being hazardous to your DS. DS Scene reports that a file going around, labeled "Dragon Quest IX JPN DSi Enhanced NDS iND," is actually not Dragon Quest IX at all, but rather a malicious program that can overwrite a DS's firmware and render systems unusable. The program is disguised as a hentai slideshow called "DS Owata," which is itself disguised as Dragon Quest IX. Our advice in this case is to do your very best not to be a pirate and just buy the thing when you can. Square Enix booby-traps its legitimate games against piracy anyway.
Dragon Quest IX save data 'enormous;' only one slot allowed
The upcoming DS-exclusive RPG, Dragon Quest IX, is massive. In fact, producer Ryutaro Ichimura notes that "the amount of freedom we give players is huge." The consequence? "The data that needs to be saved is enormous." Instead of providing multiple save slots, as found in most DS games, Dragon Quest IX is too large to fit more than one save file in the DS cartridge's limited memory. While those who prefer creating multiple save points (before a dungeon, for example) will be disappointed, we're reminded of yet another huge DS game: Pokemon. And like Nintendo's monster collecting RPG, Dragon Quest IX will feature a backup system just in case your DS battery dies. "The scariest for save data is when the battery dies," notes DQ creator Yuji Horii. With this system in place, you'll be safe knowing a failed save won't result in hours of gameplay lost. [Via Kotaku]
Seven minutes of Dragon Quest IX
Square Enix has finally started ramping up the promotion for a game that basically needs no promotion: Dragon Quest IX. With a new semi-open-ended structure and multiplayer gameplay, there's a lot of mysterious new content in this game -- even after Square Enix and Level-5 toned down the "new." The last half of this (seven-minute-long) new trailer focuses on the multiplayer mode, which adds a bit of the unexpected to the expected (the expected being a tavern lobby and multiplayer dungeons). You can see players taunting each other and dancing, and one player even demonstrates the ability to be a jerk to other players by setting pit traps. Classy. Check out the trailer after the break.
Square Enix introduces some new Dragon Quest IX characters
One month before the Japanese launch date (can it really be that soon?) Square Enix has released new screenshots of Dragon Quest IX, with brief introductions to some of the cast. The game has quite a sizable ensemble of characters! Most of them are humans living in a village, but at least some portion of the game is also set in an "angel world" where angels feed a World Tree to get it to yield fruit. Some of the colorful cast of (human) characters introduced in today's update include Olga (Origa?), a young girl who frequently wades into the sea to pray; Lu Fin and Eliza, an archaeologist and wife, and Ratena, a mysterious, hooded girl who has some kind of sway over the hero. Dragon Quest IX's semi-sandbox structure means we could be engaging in various optional side quests for all of these people. We're willing to guess those archaeologists would pay for relics found in dungeons, for example. %Gallery-15248%
April Fools: Gag taunts downtrodden Dragon Quest IX fans
As a hilarious April Fools' Day prank, AkibaBlog posted a notice that Square Enix's DS role-playing game, Dragon Quest IX, had gone on sale early, with stores hosting surprise midnight launches. The blog posted pictures from other launch events in Tokyo's Akihabara district, passing them off as images of 2,000 eager gamers waiting to pick up their copies of the game. "The Starry Sky is protected, but the release date isn't," according to a fake marketing slogan. If you happen to be in Akihabara, don't rush over to Sofmap! It's a joke. It seems especially cruel to pick on the people waiting for Dragon Quest IX, who are already grief-stricken over the game's delay from March 28 to July 11, and many of whom are probably crying right now, collapsed on the sidewalk outside of AsoBit Game City. [Via Kotaku]
Dragon Quest IX delay may influence Final Fantasy XIII
So Square Enix' next DS bestseller, Dragon Quest IX, has been pushed back to the next fiscal year in Japan, thanks to some major bugs. Whoops! No wonder the company slashed their earnings forecast for the year. What does this mean for Square Enix' other titles? Japanese news site IT Media reports that Final Fantasy XIII may be influenced by the delay of Dragon Quest IX, according to Yoichi Wada. It's unclear as to what form this "influence" will take and nothing more specific has been said. It could mean Final Fantasy XIII will be delayed in Japan, or it could mean that the game is actually brought forward in the US and Europe in order to increase the company's FY 2009 income and more quickly recoup their FY 2008 losses. Alternatively, it could mean the main character might wear a slightly different outfit now. We simply don't know. [Via Kotaku]
Square Enix lowers revenue forecast for fiscal year
First, the bad news: Square Enix has lowered its (delayed) revenue forecast for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009. In fact, it has lowered the forecast so much that "lowered" is really just a polite euphemism. As reported by Edge Online, the previously expected net income of 12 billion yen has been scaled down slashed to 4.5 billion yen, a considerably smaller amount than the previous year's net income of 9.1 billion yen. The Japanese publisher, which just proposed a takeover bid for ailing Eidos, also expects operating income to miss last year's 21? ?billion? yen and settle for an inverted 12? ?billion. The underperformance is pinned on "Amusement? (?Taito Corporation?) ?and games? (?offline segments?)," particularly the "severe business environment for Amusement,? ?and the adjourned release of a major game software??,? ?which was originally announced to be released March? .?" Said major game software is Dragon Quest IX, which will now be deployed in Japan on July 11th. The good news: That's the end of the bad news.
Dragon Quest IX delayed until July in Japan
Square Enix has announced a delay of Dragon Quest IX from its March 28 release date to July 11. The March release date had been announced at a Dragon Quest-specific press conference in December. The announcement indicates that major bugs were found in the game code. This delay seems like somewhat of an emergency measure; as NeoGAF members note, Square Enix had already put a lot of money and effort into advertising the game around Japan, including promotional signage around 7-Eleven stores -- a partnership that has since proven ironic. In somewhat less terrible news, Famitsu has posted new screens of the game, featuring an inn-based communication system. Players can visit their friends' version of Ricca Inn, and leave messages and treasure maps. %Gallery-15248% [Via NeoGAF]
Dragon Quest IX, or 'Dragon MapQuest IX'?
It's a minor thing, but the map screen in Dragon Quest IX is quite lovely. And, honestly, it's more important to have a nice world map than it may seem, because you'll be staring at the thing all the time. The sepia-toned map provides a detailed drawing of the world, including bridges and other narrow crossings. Less detailed, but still pretty great, is the treasure map, seen here. These maps imitate the color scheme of the main world map, but are drawn crudely and with much less detail. Treasure maps, of course, are marked with an X in a location corresponding to some mysterious treasure -- housed inside caves. Once inside the cave, you switch over to a blank automap that fills in as you explore. That's a lot of different mapping for one game! %Gallery-15248%
Old and new in Dragon Quest IX's combat
Square Enix has released new screenshots of Dragon Quest IX's combat. The most significant addition to the system is the camera movement, if the breathless Famitsu writeup is to be believed. It's just like the camera in battles in Dragon Quest VIII, and every other RPG since Final Fantasy VII, but 3D anything still seems novel to the series. The new "Hissatsu" moves, on the other hand, actually seem novel. Each class has a different special move that can only be activated at low HP. And if everyone in a multiplayer game does a Hissatsu at the same time, it will combine into a stronger attack! %Gallery-15248%
Getting your wings in Dragon Quest IX
Square Enix sent out some new screens of Dragon Quest IX, along with some information about the early storyline. Apparently, you start the game dead (or just inhuman), in some kind of land of angels, working to acquire some kind of "goddess fruit". Your (custom) character must get Star Auras from completed quests in order to make the World Tree grow this fruit. At least in the early portion, Dragon Quest IX will have somewhat of an open-ended structure, as you agree to take on quests from townspeople in order to help them out and earn your Star Auras. We are quite certain that the game will have a fairly linear storyline (it is Dragon Quest), but it's interesting to see Square Enix experimenting just a bit with nonlinearity. %Gallery-15248% [Screens via GAME Watch]
New creatures, new jobs, new screens for Dragon Quest IX
If you want new in the next Dragon Quest, you're going to get it. It looks like Square Enix and Level-5 are making up for a long silence on the game, considering we're looking at more than two dozen (!!) new screenshots, and lots of new goodies for the title. In the recent screens, loads of new things were revealed: at least two new monsters were shown (Zucchinya and Moomon), as well as one, and maybe two new classes. While we've only seen someone labeled Bodybuilder (possibly new?), the Traveling Performer (possibly minstrel) was officially revealed. Among the performer's abilities are acrobatics and making the monster laugh ... too hard to attack, we presume. If it laughs and then kicks your ass, it's not much help. Traveling Performers would be restricted to one of the goofier faces, in a perfect world. %Gallery-15248% [Via Game Tsunami]
Might as well Jump for new Dragon Quest IX, FFCC Echoes of Time trailers
We're slowly being converted into full-on Dragon Questism by the Dragon Quest IX hype, and this trailer from this weekend's Jump Festa event is certainly effective in that respect. It just looks like pure fun in a genre that is often dour and pretentious! We are officially in love with Koichi Sugiyama's Dragon Quest theme now. Square Enix and Level-5 may have been planning changes to the gameplay at one point, but any traces of action-RPG are gone now, and this is absolutely canonical Dragon Quest. After the break, a trailer for another Square Enix RPG that may not inspire as much adoration in so many: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time. Your enjoyment of this trailer may hinge upon whether you think Echoes of Time's cross-platform release is innovative or merely cheap. %Gallery-15248%
