Dragon Quest XII Faces Harsh Development Reality: Team Restructuring Was a Painful Decision as Two Key Contributors, Including Akira Toriyama, Passed Away During Five-Year News Gap

Dragon Quest XII has finally received new information through Square Enix’s official YouTube channel, but the announcement also revealed the difficult state of development.

The latest entry in the Dragon Quest series has changed its title from Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate to Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dream. However, the release date and supported platforms remain undecided. The development structure has also been changed, and the video made clear that the project still requires more time before launch.

Release Date and Platforms Still Undecided as Development Team Change Was a “Very Difficult Decision”

Dragon Quest XII was first announced in May 2021 to mark the 35th anniversary of the series. At the time, Dragon Quest creator and game designer Yuji Horii described the new entry as having “a dark feeling” and called it “a Dragon Quest for adults.”

The newly announced Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dream tells the story of a protagonist who sees mysterious dreams and sets out on an adventure.

In the streamed video, executive producer Yosuke Saito explained, “The originally developed Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate continued to take on various challenges as the latest numbered title in the series. As we kept pursuing what a numbered Dragon Quest title should be, we decided to create Dragon Quest XII under a new structure, and development is still ongoing.”

He continued, “It was a very difficult decision,” adding that the subtitle and logo were completely renewed because of that process. Since the development structure was changed and the project was restarted, fans will need to wait a while longer before release. The release date was announced as undecided.

First New Information in Five Years Leaves Some Fans Wanting More

The new information, revealed for the first time in five years, included the title change, the change in development structure, the first look at game footage, details about the story, and the appearance of the protagonist. While these elements gave fans something to enjoy, some online reactions suggested that the announcement felt insufficient, especially because it came during the 40th anniversary of Dragon Quest, which had been promoted with a special website and major anniversary plans.

However, there are understandable reasons behind the difficult development process. Since the original production announcement in May 2021, two key contributors to the Dragon Quest series have passed away. Composer Koichi Sugiyama, who handled the series’ music, died in September 2021. Manga artist Akira Toriyama, who was responsible for the character designs, died in March 2024. Their deaths are believed to have had a major impact on the progress of the game’s development.

Regarding the story of the new title, Yuji Horii said, “Beyond the dream, I think there is surely a world that is not dark, but bright and exciting. This game will also be delivered together with Toriyama Sensei’s characters and Sugiyama Sensei’s music.” His comment revealed that both creators remain deeply involved in the new work.

Although the release date for Dragon Quest XII remains undecided, the program ended with a surprise announcement of a new game, Dragon Quest Monsters 4. As the latest entry in the Dragon Quest Monsters series, its release appears likely to come before Dragon Quest XII. Horii said, “This one will probably come out first,” suggesting that Dragon Quest XII will arrive after that title.

Source : ORICON NEWS