Yuji Horii on Dragon Quest 12: 'Putting Lots of Work Into' Mysterious Sequel

Fans of the beloved Dragon Quest series can breathe a sigh of relief as Yuji Horii, the creator of the franchise, has confirmed that Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate has not been canceled. Initially announced during the series' 35th anniversary celebration in 2021, Dragon Quest 12 marks the first mainline entry since 2017's Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age. Despite the lack of updates since February, when Horii mentioned that the development team at Square Enix was "working hard" and promised information would be released gradually, the silence has been broken once again.

In a recent interview with Gamereactor, Horii reassured fans that the project is still on track. "Yes, indeed, I can't say anything, I apologize," he stated. "I am making it, putting lots of work into it... I can only say that the next work will be great too, [I'm] working really hard. Please look forward to it is the only thing I can say." While this update may not be as substantial as a trailer or screenshots, it should ease concerns about the game's fate, especially amidst restructuring at Square Enix and a lack of updates.

All we have of Dragon Quest 12 is this logo, released in 2021.

In May 2024, Horii noted the deaths of Dragon Quest character designer Akira Toriyama and composer Koichi Sugiyama. Additionally, the series' lead producer Yu Miyake had already stepped down from his position to lead Square Enix's mobile game division. Despite these changes, the development of Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate continues, and fans are encouraged to stay tuned for more information.