Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate was announced in May 2021, and since then we’ve heard absolutely nothing about the game outside of “it’s still happening.” But despite the total lack of communication on Square Enix’s part, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii maintains that it’s still in development and that the team is working hard on it.
Speaking to Gamereactor, Horii was asked about the status of Dragon Quest 12, and while he couldn’t reveal anything too specific, he did say, “I am making it, putting lots of work into it,” adding, “I can only say that the next work will be great too, working really hard. Please look forward to it, is the only thing I can say.”
However, despite this answer telling us nothing specific about the JRPG, he did give a hint of a potential Nintendo Switch 2 edition of the game, saying, “Yes, I believe it could be compatible with Switch 2 as well.” However, he didn’t specify if he was referring to Dragon Quest 12 specifically or the series in general, but given how well Dragon Quest 11 S and the Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake did on Switch, I would be stunned if the next game didn’t arrive on the upcoming console.
Considering that this will be the first new Dragon Quest installment since the passing of both the series composer – Koichi Sugiyama – and the series’ main artist – Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama – not to mention the continued development of the Dragon Quest 10 MMO going into the 2020s, it’s unsurprising that Dragon Quest 12 may need a bit more time than previous games.
Plus, this is a big game, as Square Enix says it’s set to shape the series for the next 20 years. Let’s just hope we get it before Dragon Quest 11 turns 10 years old in 2027.
