The release of Dragon Quest XI in Japan bears extra good news: Square Enix has now confirmed that it will localize the game for Westerners sometime in 2018, under the new name "Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age."
Dragon Quest XI English Release Confirmed, Coming In 2018
Square Enix has until now remained mum about the possibility of the game hitting audiences stateside, so with this confirmation, Dragon Quest fans expecting an English release can finally calm down and take a breath.
In a video posted Friday, July 28, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii revealed that localization has already begun, with the team working on five languages in total, including English. As with any localization process, Square Enix still has a lot to translate.
"But we're doing our best and working hard to get this game to all of you as soon as possible, so I sincerely hope you look forward to the game," said Horii.
Beyond the change in name and a vague release window, details remain slim for now, but Square Enix plans to announce more information about the Western release this fall. It remains uncertain whether the company plans to release both the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo 3DS versions of the game — or the bundles, for that matter — stateside. Suppose it does release both versions, whether they'll launch at the same time also remains uncertain. Square Enix does seem to be keeping mum about the finer details — but at least Dragon Quest fans in the West know it's coming.
Horii failed to mention anything about the Switch version of Dragon Quest XI, now in the development stages.
Dragon Quest XI
Dragon Quest XI, as the Roman numeral in its title suggests, is the 11th main series entry in the Dragon Quest series, which Square Enix both developed and published. The game launches in Japan on Saturday, July 29 for the 3DS and the PS4. A Switch port has been confirmed, but the company has yet to announce a release date.
The Dragon Quest series stands as one of the most recognized and successful RPG franchises in gaming. In this iteration, the classic exploration and battle elements return, of course. The 3DS version, however, features slightly different playstyles, chiefly because of its 3D graphics and 16-bit sprites. The core battle system will still be the same, though: traditional turn-based combat.
Again, Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age hits the United States and Europe sometime in 2018. Tell us why you're pumped for this game down in the comments section below!
