Japanese outlet denfaminicogamer recently published a text version of a radio interview they conducted with the creator of Dragon Quest, Yuji Horii. The interview is pretty lengthy, at roughly eight pages.
Still, there is a notable exchange regarding the development of Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate. Horii revealed that due to the game’s intended targeted audience being adults, they are having unspecified issues with development.
You can view the full quoted exchange below via our team’s Ryuji:
Well, let me start by saying that this year marks the 37th anniversary of the Dragon Quest series, and to coincide with the 35th anniversary, an HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest III has been announced, and there are rumors that the latest title, Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate is about to be released?
Horii: Mmm, I guess it will take a little while. This time we are making a game directed toward an adult audience*, so we are having a lot of trouble (laughs). There was also the Coronavirus pandemic.
Are the game programmers and designers basically working remotely?
Horii: Yes, some employees have not come to the office for about a year, and some don’t even use the company’s computers, preferring to work from home.
Do you encounter any communication problems [with this method]?
Horii: Basically, we use Zoom to communicate with each other. I have a hard time remembering people’s faces and names, so Zoom is just right for me with the names underneath (laughs).
*TL Note: Horii uses 大人向け here, an expression where the subject (in this case, 大人, meaning adult) is the target audience.
We’ll be sure to keep you all updated with the development and eventual release of Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate.
Revealed during a live-streamed event in May 2021, Dragon Quest XII was teased with only a logo and a few lines of dialogue. This was meant to hold off fans as the game was still in very early development. However, the series will indeed be taking a new, more mature direction, as discussed by the developers.
In a Famitsu interview from that same timeframe, Square Enix President and CEO Yosuke Matsuda stated, “Dragon Quest XII is being developed with the next 10 to 20 years of the series in mind.” He continues, “There are parts that match the image of what a conventional Dragon Quest game is, but new parts are also needed. After all, innovation is always necessary as a brand.”
The one central question in the title is, “What is the purpose of life?” The narrative is teased to allow players to have options that have to do with the said purpose of life.
Dragon Quest Monsters The Dark Prince will launch for Nintendo Switch on December 1, 2023.
Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest – The Adventure of Dai will launch for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam on September 28, 2023, worldwide.
Source: Siliconera via Denfaminicogame.
