Square Enix shared new information on Dragon Quest XII during today’s Dragon Quest broadcast, revealing that the long-awaited mainline RPG is now titled Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams. The project was previously announced in 2021 as Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate, but the latest update confirms that the earlier version of the game was reworked. A release date was not announced.
The update arrived as part of the series’ 40th anniversary, with Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii and executive producer Yosuke Saito appearing during the presentation. Saito explained that the team had to reorganize development after the original version of The Flames of Fate ran into problems. Rather than continue forward with that direction, the developers reassessed what the next numbered Dragon Quest should be and reworked the project. Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams follows a young hero whose journey begins with unusual dreams, shifting the focus away from the darker image suggested by The Flames of Fate. The brief footage shown during the broadcast featured the new protagonist, outdoor environments, monsters, and glimpses of other characters, though Square Enix did not provide combat details or a launch window. Horii also confirmed that Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams will continue to use Akira Toriyama’s character work and Koichi Sugiyama’s music.
Square Enix also announced Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World, the next entry in the monster-raising RPG spinoff series. The game is planned for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store. A release date was not announced. The new Dragon Quest Monsters game follows Bianca and Nera from Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride. Square Enix has not detailed the game’s systems yet.
The broadcast also included Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition for Nintendo Switch 2, which is set to launch on September 24. The release brings the existing expanded version of Dragon Quest XI to Nintendo’s newer hardware with additional optimization options.
With Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World, and the Switch 2 version of Dragon Quest XI S, Square Enix used the anniversary broadcast to illustrate the future of the series while continuing to build on its long-running legacy. More information on Beyond Dreams and The Withered World is expected through future updates.