After years of near silence, Square Enix has finally revealed what’s happening with the next mainline Dragon Quest game. The project has changed a lot more than we expected. First of all, the game once known as Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate has now officially become Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams!
Fortunately, work on the project has restarted from scratch after years of internal changes and development trouble. The update came during a YouTube livestream that celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Dragon Quest franchise, which first launched in Japan on May 27th, 1986.
The video gives the first glimpse of Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams since the original reveal back in 2021, which was during the series’ 35th anniversary celebration. Other changes include a reshuffled development team, a new subtitle, a redesigned logo, and an entirely different creative direction.
One of the biggest changes appears to be the tone itself. When The Flames of Fate was first announced in 2021, it had a darker take on the series. It was noticeably different from the more colourful and optimistic style of Dragon Quest.
Now, though, the rebooted version is moving back toward a more traditional and upbeat Dragon Quest atmosphere. The visuals in the preview speak for themselves. On that note, take a look at the latest trailer below.
Apparently, the development of Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate hit a lot of hurdles, so the team decided to restart development completely. The game will continue featuring the iconic artwork of Akira Toriyama and music from Koichi Sugiyama. They’re both longtime pillars of the franchise who passed away after, or around the time of, the game’s original announcement.
For now, though, one thing seems pretty clear. Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams is still a long way off. Square Enix did not reveal a release window, platforms, or any major gameplay details. You can learn about the game here.
Also, read our news on WamojiSword, a New Title on Mobile that Centres Around Japanese Language and Tradition.
