Square Enix Is Restarting Development on 'Dragon Quest XII'

Summary

• Square Enix restarted development on the next mainline entry in its iconic RPG series, renaming the project Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams
• The game was originally announced in 2021 as The Flames of Fate before a team reshuffle forced a complete reset to better align with the core identity of the franchise
• The May 27 broadcast also featured spin-off announcements and upcoming port reveals for Nintendo’s next-generation console

Square Enix officially hit the reset button on its highly anticipated RPG sequel during a special livestream celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Dragon Quest franchise. Series creator Yuji Horii and executive producer Yosuke Saito revealed that development on the twelfth mainline entry has been entirely restarted under a new internal structure. Consequently, the publisher shifted the game’s subtitle from The Flames of Fate to Beyond Dreams. A refreshed logo and a brief teaser featuring gameplay footage accompanied the announcement. Work on the original version reportedly hit numerous hurdles along the way. This prompted the studio to start over from scratch to ensure the final product meets the lofty expectations of the series’ dedicated global fanbase.

The narrative of Beyond Dreams centers on a young hero plagued by mysterious visions in their sleep. Despite the massive developmental shift, Horii confirmed the project retains the creative DNA that defines the iconic franchise. The game will still feature character designs by the late Akira Toriyama and a sweeping score by the late Koichi Sugiyama. Maintaining these legendary contributors highlights the cultural weight of the release as it serves as a poignant tribute to their foundational impact on Japanese roleplaying games. No definitive release window or confirmed platforms emerged during the broadcast. The executive decision to rebuild the title from the ground up understandably implies a longer wait for its eventual launch.

Additional reveals surfaced during the May 27 presentation to soften the blow of the delay. Square Enix unveiled Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World as a brand new spin-off slated for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo’s upcoming hardware successor. The broadcast also secured a September 24 release date for Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age Definitive Edition on the highly anticipated Switch 2 platform. These parallel hardware drops ensure fans have immediate content to explore while developers painstakingly reconstruct the next era of the mainline series.