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The Dragon Quest series is an old and beloved RPG franchise from Square Enix, but fans of the series in the West don’t always get to play all the games released in Japan. The newest game in the main series, Dragon Quest XI, is supposed to release in Japan before May 27, 2017, but fans still don’t know if it will be localized. The last official word from Square Enix was that they would consider it, but hadn’t decided yet—not the most comforting thing to hear.

However, the current state of the Dragon Quest series suggests fans can relax. Dragon Quest XI will most likely be localized.







The main reason for localization concern was that the 3DS remakes of Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past and Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King weren’t released outside of Japan. It was a worrying sign.

However, that finally changed. Both 3DS remakes will be localized sometime this year. Not only that, but 2015 saw the release of a spin-off game that was localized. Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below, released for the PS3, PS4, and PC, is a musou-inspired action RPG that received good reviews. Square Enix had previously said the sales of Heroes would influence their decision to bring more Dragon Quest games to the West.

Heroes II and other upcoming spin-offs haven’t been announced for localization, which could cause some concern, but it’s a good sign that we’re getting Dragon Quest VII and VIII. The sales of those games could very well determine whether or not Dragon Quest XI follows.

Dragon Quest XI is planned for the PS4 and 3DS, with quiet rumors of an NX version. At least the 3DS version will feature a choice between 3D graphics and traditional top-down graphics. It doesn’t even have a Japanese release date yet, but it’s never too early to start hoping for localization. Right now, the signs point toward Square Enix having renewed faith in the Western market for Dragon Quest, which makes localization seem likely.

Do you think Dragon Quest XI will be released outside of Japan? Are you looking forward to the 3DS remakes of Dragon Quest VII and VIII, generally considered to be improvements over the original versions? Share your thoughts on the Dragon Quest series with us in the comments below.