This year marks the 40th anniversary of the legendary RPG series Dragon Quest, a cornerstone of Square Enix's lineup. Fans have been eagerly anticipating what surprises the developers might unveil for this massive milestone.
On May 27, coinciding with the anniversary, Square Enix dropped some fresh intel. Alongside a new video, they announced a major shake-up: due to development structure adjustments, the game formerly known as "Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate" has officially been rebranded as "Dragon Quest XII: The Far Side of Dreams." The team also admitted that the game is "still some time away" from its official launch, with no release date or platforms revealed yet.
This bombshell dropped on Square Enix's official YouTube channel, where Executive Producer Yosuke Saito explained:
"For 'Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate,' our latest series entry, we were constantly pushing new boundaries. After much deliberation on what a true 'DQ' sequel should embody, we made the tough call to completely re-envision 'DQ12' under a new development structure. Development is still ongoing."
Saito confessed, "This was an incredibly difficult decision." As a result, not only has the subtitle changed, but the logo design has also been completely revamped. The official statement further clarified that due to this development overhaul and restart, players will need to exercise a bit more patience.
As for the game's actual content, "Dragon Quest" creator Yuji Horii offered a glimmer of hope:
"What awaits everyone in 'Dragon Quest XII: The Far Side of Dreams' won't just be darkness, but a bright and exhilarating world. This title will once again feature character designs by the legendary Akira Toriyama and music by the esteemed Koichi Sugiyama."
It's been five years since "Dragon Quest XII" was first announced back in 2021, and official details have been notoriously scarce. Back then, the only tidbits shared were promises of a revamped traditional command-based battle system and a darker, more mature overall tone.
▼ "Dragon Quest XII: The Far Side of Dreams" Announcement Video
While this update still leaves us hanging on a release date, it's clear Square Enix is hitting the reset button on "Dragon Quest XII," not just with a new title but a whole new development approach. Fans might have to wait a bit longer, but here's hoping for more juicy details soon!
via： ドラゴンクエストXII 夢の彼方へ