One of Square Enix’s longest-running franchises aside fromFinal Fantasyis theDragon Questseries, which is set to receive a new entry sometime in the coming years. AlthoughDragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fatewas announced to be in development back in May 2021 during a live stream celebrating the series' 35th anniversary, details about the game since then have been sparse. With the latest information coming from the company pointing to disappointing sales figures for titles likeForspoken, the lack of communication on the status ofDragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fateis getting concerning.
Square Enix has been struggling with many of its games in recent years, with titles likeBabylon’s Fallshutting down service less than a year after launch. Despite the upcoming release ofFinal Fantasy 16putting the company in a good position to capitalize on one of its largest franchises, the inconsistent quality of its recent releases could bode ill for the future of theDragon Questseries. Depending on the success ofFinal Fantasy 16, the quality ofDragon Quest 12could make or break the company’s future.
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Breaking the Silence on Dragon Quest 12 Could be the Boost Square Enix Needs
While theDragon Questseries has always been more popular in Japan than in the West,Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of An Elusive Agebecame a huge hit outside of Japan, selling over 6 million units worldwide. The entry’s success paved the way for a sequel to go even bigger and build upon the aspects that madeDragon Quest 11so popular. From the few details revealed about the nextDragon Questgame, it appears to this title will follow the trend set by other Square Enix series and take a darker tone than previous entries with a more action-oriented combat system.
Without further details, it’s unclear how these elements will play out in the typically brightDragon Questseries. Recent comments made bySquare Enix President and CEO Yosuke Matsudasuggest the company plans to release multiple blockchain games in the near future. It’s unclear if these are unannounced games or games fans are already aware of, but this announcement sets a controversial precedent for future Square Enix releases. The combination of these changes create a worrisome scenario forDragon Questfans without clarification of how gameplay will look inDragon Quest 12.
It’s clear Square Enix is still dedicated toDragon Questgiven how popular the franchise is in Japan, and the recent release ofDragon Quest Treasuresas a spin-off title has been a great way to tide fans over until the next mainline game. However, aside fromDragon Quest 12, an HD-2Dremake ofDragon Quest 3was announced during the 35th anniversary live stream that has also only seen limited information released about it. Typically, theseDragon Questprojects still being up in the air wouldn’t be cause for concern, but the financial struggles of the company in recent years could end up impacting even its largest franchises.
The best thing Square Enix could do to ease concerns about theDragon Questseries is to share more details aboutDragon Quest 12. It’s likely focusing attention on the launch ofFinal Fantasy 16before shifting to its other big franchise, but the radio silence onDragon Quest 12amidst financial floundering doesn’t bode well for the game. Depending on when the Square Enix blockchain games release,Dragon Questfans may be waiting even longer for status updates on the next entry in the franchise.
Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fateis currently in development.
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