The JRPG juggernaut’s next next iteration is coming for the Wii. Meanwhile, Dragon Quest IX gets a solid release date and a hefty price tag.
Square-Enix made the announcement today at an event in Japan celebrating the imminent arrival of Dragon Quest IX, which Square also revealed would retail in Japan for a hefty 5,980 yen (roughly $65). Dragon Quest X will mark the first Dragon Quest game proper to appear on a Nintendo console since Dragon Quest VI in 1995.
The announcement should come as fairly expected. Though gamers are often quick to attach franchises to consoles, Dragon Quest series mastermind Yuuji Horii has always emphasized that Dragon Quest games are made for the largest possible audience, and decisions regarding what platform to release them on are made according to that mindset. That was the philosophy that drew the series from Nintendo to Sony, and it’s the philosophy that’s drawing it back. So, while those hoping for a Dragon Quest sequel with next-gen graphics might take this news as sorely disappointing, this move is basically par for the course for this franchise.
Dragon Quest IX will release in Japan on March 28th. No information regarding Dragon Quest X‘s future release, though the fact that Square has announced it even before it puts out Dragon Quest IX may give some hope that it could be along in development already.
