Yuji Horii Hints at Hard Work on Dragon Quest 12, Remains Tight-Lipped on Details

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 has not been canceled. Initially announced as part of the series' 35th anniversary celebration in 2021, Dragon Quest 12 marks the first mainline entry since Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age in 2017. Despite the long silence since its announcement, Horii broke his silence in February, stating that the development team at Square Enix is "working hard" and that information would be released "little by little."

True to his word, the updates have been sparse, but 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 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 this might not be as concrete as a trailer or screenshots, it should ease the concerns of fans who feared Dragon Quest 12 might have been canceled amidst restructuring at Square Enix and a lack of updates.

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 to lead Square Enix's mobile game division, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the project. Despite these challenges, Horii's latest comments reaffirm his commitment to delivering another great installment in the beloved Dragon Quest series.