Yuji Horii Keeps Dragon Quest 12 Details Under Wraps, Assures Fans of Hard Work

Fans of the beloved Dragon Quest series can breathe a sigh of relief as series creator Yuji Horii has officially confirmed that Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate is still in development and has not been canceled. 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. Since its announcement, updates have been scarce, with the last official word coming from Horii in February, stating that the development team at Square Enix is "working hard" and that information would be released gradually.

True to his word, there has been a period of silence since then, but in a recent interview with Gamereactor, Horii has once again stepped forward to reassure fans that the project is on track. Accompanied by a simple logo released in 2021, Horii stated, "Yes, indeed, I can't say anything, I apologize. 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 may not provide the concrete details like a trailer or screenshots that fans crave, it serves as a comforting reminder that the game is still in the works.

This confirmation comes amid concerns fueled by restructuring at Square Enix and a lack of updates. Additionally, in May 2024, Horii acknowledged the passing of Dragon Quest's iconic character designer Akira Toriyama and composer Koichi Sugiyama. The series' lead producer Yu Miyake had already transitioned to lead Square Enix's mobile game division, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the project. Nonetheless, Horii's dedication to Dragon Quest 12 remains unwavering, and fans are encouraged to stay tuned for more updates as development progresses.