It's official. When Yuji Horii referred to "that game" earlier this week he was indeed talking about Dragon Quest 12.
2021 is a big year for anniversaries, and today it was Dragon Quest's turn to celebrate. Much like The Legend Of Zelda, and Mario last year, Dragon Quest has turned 35. Square Enix held a special live stream this morning, promising big news for the future of the series. That news was very big indeed and did not disappoint.
As fans of the franchise hoped, and its creator Yuji Horii heavily hinted at earlier this week, Dragon Quest 12 was officially announced. The reveal was made via the teaser below, which is pretty sparing of any details. Other than the reveal that the sequel is finally happening, there's nothing much to go on. It should be noted that Square Enix is aiming to release Dragon Quest 12 simultaneously worldwide.
That will come as very good news to western fans of the series who are normally made to wait for Dragon Quest games. The gap between the games' Japanese and North American release dates has been gradually closing or the course of its 35 years. However, even as recently as Dragon Quest 11, the wait between releases is normally at least a year.
A simultaneous worldwide release is a bigger undertaking than many will realize but is a very big deal if Square Enix can get it done for Dragon Quest 12. It might also explain why the wait between mainline games has been a long one. Dragon Quest 11 is almost four years old, and with very little information to go on, will probably be closer to its fifth birthday by the time Dragon Quest 12 arrives.
There was always an outside chance that the stream would disappoint, as has been the case for other franchises in recent history. Although some are clamoring for Dragon Quest Builders 3, or for another character from the series to be added to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, there was no bigger news to break than the imminent arrival of Dragon Quest 12. Keep your eyes peeled for more information as it comes regarding what seems to be a Dragon Quest game unlike any to have come before it.