Yuji Horii Tight-Lipped on Dragon Quest 12, Assures Hard Work on Sequel

Fans of the iconic Dragon Quest series can breathe a sigh of relief: Yuji Horii, the mastermind behind the franchise, has confirmed that Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate is still in the works and has not been canceled. Initially unveiled during the series' 35th anniversary festivities in 2021, Dragon Quest 12 marked the first new mainline entry since 2017's Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age. Since its announcement, updates have been scarce, with the last significant word coming from Horii in February, stating that the development team at Square Enix was "working hard" and that information would be shared "little by little."

True to his word, updates have indeed trickled in slowly. In a recent interview with Gamereactor, Horii broke the silence once more, reassuring fans that the project remains on track. "Yes, indeed, I can't say anything, I apologize," he admitted. "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 fans might have hoped for more concrete details like trailers or screenshots, Horii's reassurance should ease concerns sparked by the lack of updates and restructuring at Square Enix. In May 2024, Horii also acknowledged the passing of key contributors to the series: character designer Akira Toriyama and composer Koichi Sugiyama. Additionally, the series' lead producer Yu Miyake had stepped down to lead Square Enix's mobile game division, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the project.

Despite these challenges, Horii's dedication to Dragon Quest 12 is clear, and fans can look forward to what promises to be another epic adventure in the beloved series.