Yuji Horii Hints at Hard Work on Secretive Dragon Quest 12

Fans of the iconic Dragon Quest series can breathe a sigh of relief as the creator, Yuji Horii, has confirmed that Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate has not been canceled. Announced during the series' 35th anniversary celebration in 2021, Dragon Quest 12 marks the first mainline entry since 2017's Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age. Despite the silence following the initial announcement, Horii broke his silence in February, stating that the development team at Square Enix is diligently working on the project and that information would be released gradually.

True to his word, updates have been sparse, but in a recent interview with Gamereactor, Horii once again reassured fans that the project is moving forward. "Yes, indeed, I can't say anything, I apologize," he stated. "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 statement might not be as concrete as a trailer or screenshots, it should provide some comfort to fans worried about the game's fate amid restructuring at Square Enix and a lack of updates.

All we have of Dragon Quest 12 is this logo, released in 2021.

In May 2024, Horii noted the deaths of Dragon Quest character designer Akira Toriyama and composer Koichi Sugiyama. Additionally, the series' lead producer, Yu Miyake, had already stepped down to lead Square Enix’s mobile game division. Despite these significant changes, Horii's dedication to Dragon Quest 12 remains steadfast, promising a great addition to the beloved franchise.