'Watch this space'

Dragon Quest Builders turned out better than I would have expected given its block-laying influences, and I'm already hoping for a sequel that gives us more of the same, essentially, just with added co-op support. You too? Another spinoff, Dragon Quest Heroes, was a similar pleasant surprise. I've skipped the majority of the main-series Dragon Quest titles and I'm ambivalent about much of Omega Force's Musou series as well, but this unlikely combination ended up clicking with me in a big way.

I imagine I'm hardly alone in having this fondness for the side stories. They can be a less intimidating way into the delightful, time-robbing universe that is Dragon Quest. And whatever your preference (mainline only, just the spinoffs, or all of the above), there should be something to look forward to in the years to come. Square Enix has reiterated its interest in localizing these games for the West.

"2016 marks the 30th anniversary of Dragon Quest series," producer Noriyoshi Fujimoto told MCV. "It's not as well known in the West as we would like but it really plays an epoch making role in the console gaming history. If gamers were to 'discover' Dragon Quest now, they may be surprised to the sheer breadth of the universe, in terms of variety and depth. But they would also have instant access to something that has taken us 30 years to build. Dragon Quest Builders is definitely a great way of getting the feel of Dragon Quest while having great fun right from the start. We're committed to bringing more Dragon Quest titles in the West as we believe it truly has potential to succeed even better."

Reassuringly, sales have been "superb" for Builders in Japan. "We reached over half a million sales in Japan alone within days of launch, consolidating Dragon Quest Builders as a title in its own right in the market," said Fujimoto. "This game is also all about user generated content -- so many people are still posting all sorts of creations and their own stories with the game, generating a cascade effect of player base increase. We've been told by many people that they've discovered the joy of creating through Dragon Quest Builders, and essentially that’s exactly what we wanted the title to serve in Japan."

Interview: When Dragon Quest met Minecraft [MCV via US Gamer]