Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age will be released for PS4 and Steam on September 4 in North America and Europe. However, the planned Nintendo Switch version will not be released this year, and the 3DS version released in Japan will not be released in the west at all.

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The localised version of the gigantic JRPG comes with a number of additions and improvements, including voiced English dialogue, a Hard Mode option, overhauled menus, a faster dash to speed up exploration, and a first-person camera mode.This will be the first time a mainline Dragon Quest game will be available on PC in the west.However, it's a slightly different story on Nintendo platforms. The 3DS version of the game - which was a complete remake of the Japanese PS4 version, played in both pixel art and 3D versions across the console's two screens - will not be localised at any point.In a statement, Square Enix told IGN: "Our aim with Dragon Quest XI and the Dragon Quest brand is to grow the audience in the West. From a business point of view, it made strategic sense to release the 3DS version in Japan in 2017. For the West in 2018, it made the most sense to focus on the PlayStation 4 and PC (Steam) platforms."As for the Switch version, things are slightly less clear. "We are also developing the Switch version for Europe and North America," reads Square Enix's statement, "but development is expected to take a long time from a technological standpoint as well, so we still have a long way to go until its release".At a Dragon Quest event, a Square Enix PR representative told IGN that the Switch version would definitely not be released in 2018, and could end up being released "much later".We had the chance to see the western version of the game, and talk to the series' creator. Check out our expert/beginner double preview for all our thoughts, and our story about how Dragon Quest spawned an urban myth.

Joe Skrebels is IGN's UK News Editor, and Dragon Quest on Switch feels as perfect as it does fanciful. Follow him on Twitter