Yuji Horii: 'Can't Say Much' on Dragon Quest 12, But 'Working Hard'

Fans of the iconic 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. This assurance comes after a period of silence that had left many fans concerned about the project's fate.

Dragon Quest 12 was announced during the franchise's 35th anniversary celebration in 2021, marking the first mainline entry since 2017's Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age. Since then, updates have been scarce, with the last official word coming in February when Horii broke his silence to say the development team at Square Enix is “working hard” and that information about the game would be shared incrementally.

True to his word, there has been little to no news until now. In a recent interview with Gamereactor, Horii provided a much-needed update, stating, "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 might not be as substantial as a trailer or screenshots, it should reassure fans worried about the game's status 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, adding another layer of complexity to the development process. Additionally, the series' lead producer Yu Miyake had stepped down to lead Square Enix’s mobile game division, further contributing to the uncertainty surrounding Dragon Quest 12.

Despite these challenges, Horii's latest comments offer hope that Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate will continue to progress, promising another great addition to the beloved franchise. Fans are encouraged to stay tuned for further updates as the game's development unfolds.