Square Enix 'considering' Dragon Quest IX localization sometime after April

by JC Fletcher { Aug 9th 2009 at 3:30PM }

Having sold well over three million copies of Dragon Quest IX in Japan, isn't it the obvious choice for Square Enix to bring the hit RPG worldwide as soon as possible? Well, maaaaaaybe.

In an investor Q&A session, president Yoichi Wada said that the company is "considering" releasing DQIX overseas, according to Siliconera's translation, and still deciding which regions will receive it. And when Square Enix does get around to it, the company doesn't plan to release it anywhere until after April 2010, the start of the company's next fiscal year.

The Dragon Quest series, obviously, isn't as major anywhere else as it is in Japan, but Dragon Quest VIII sold around half a million copies in North America, which seems, at least ... worth the trouble.

Tags: dragon-quest, dragon-quest-ix, rpg, square-enix, yoichi-wada

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Aug 9th 2009 3:40PM

inb4 the shit hits the fan.

Cody @ Aug 9th 2009 4:57PM

It's on a Nintendo system so sales will thrive.

Ethan @ Aug 9th 2009 3:41PM

If in doubt, stick 'From the makers of Final Fantasy' on the box.

Elranzer @ Aug 10th 2009 1:38PM

So long as it's not "from the makers of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within"

Would be a good way to kill any franchise.

Chris @ Aug 9th 2009 3:42PM

You know what I want more of? Dragon Quest Monsters. I had that game for the gameboy. It was awesome! Breeding different creatures, walking around and having them follow you. I liked it more than Pokemon!

They came out with a DS version, I think, but it wasn't the same game as that old gameboy one. Not turn based, not having your 3 monsters follow you around as you went about looking for treasure.

In another, somewhat related topic, I just started playing Zenonia for the iphone. It's Zelda but with more RPG elements. Plays just like A Link to the Past. It's a 40+ hour adventure, with a day night cycle, leveling, thousands of items and equipment upgrades, and a full story with memorable characters and great graphics. Best part, it was only $3!

I'm loving it!

Rollins @ Aug 9th 2009 3:48PM

I'm a big fan of Zenonia too. Couldn't ask more out of a $3 app.

KaBob799 @ Aug 9th 2009 7:11PM

yeah the first 2 Dragon Warrior Monsters were awesome, apparently they kept making them in Japan for the GBA but never released them anywhere else until the DS one.

THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ Aug 9th 2009 10:23PM

Dragon Quest has been the ONLY good JRPG series for me in recent years. DQ maintains a strong personality and has heart. I agree with wanting more DQ monsters. Rocket Slime was a great game, still havent played Joker yet.

amnesiac420 @ Aug 10th 2009 12:21PM

Funny...my boyfriend's name is Chris, and he is playing that game right now! lol

Cxplorer @ Aug 13th 2009 7:57AM

doh!

sony boy @ Aug 9th 2009 3:52PM

i don't get why dragon quest's art style looks like DBZ.

Donald @ Aug 9th 2009 3:57PM

Because they have the same main artist (Akira Toriyama).

ryanpaulmcgowan @ Aug 9th 2009 3:57PM

Because the art is done by, or inspired by, the same person.

Spiffy @ Aug 9th 2009 4:01PM

Oh, I don't know, maybe because Akira Toriyama, the manga-ka behind DB, DBZ, ect. does the character design for the Dragon Quest series? :P

Aqua Victorian @ Aug 9th 2009 4:04PM

@Spiffy: No, that's not it.

Chris @ Aug 9th 2009 4:05PM

I think the artist who made Dragonball also did the art design for Dragon Quest. Either that or all things with Dragon in the name have to look alike.

rahmenxnoodles69 @ Aug 9th 2009 5:40PM

@Aqua Victorian

Umm yes it is, dumbass

sony boy @ Aug 9th 2009 9:21PM

wow, getting downvoted for wondering. joystiq has more fanboys than you think.

Spartan @ Aug 9th 2009 10:06PM

DBZ
Chrono Trigger
Dragon Quest

Akira Rules.

THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ Aug 9th 2009 10:25PM

@ sony boy (tell 'em) no shit. people on the weekends here downvote anything like a little mob of crazed villagers. Dunno why. Lot of great people on this site.

CJLopez @ Aug 10th 2009 11:31AM

@Spartan, shame that Blue Dragon turned out to be a shitty anime. Didn't like it, forced himself to hard to do another DB hit. I liked more Dr.Slump than Blue Dragon

Still, even though its AT who does the art for this game, i'm pretty off how similar some character do look to stablished chars. I mean, hell, that dude its a clone of Tenshin Han!!!!

Chris @ Aug 9th 2009 4:07PM

Stop it. I'm not going to the site just because of the way you chose to promote it.

Shmil @ Aug 9th 2009 4:17PM

"ok well how u want me to promote it then?? this sites new and we need some new fucking members, i needa spread the word somehow. this site gonna be better than gamefaqs/gamespot/joystiq/engadget/u name it one day. the difference is ppl aint know about it yet so yea"
if you're a writer on the site I don't think any amount of promotion will get people there. There are other places on the web to promote your shitty website dude. don't do it here.

Falcon6 @ Aug 9th 2009 4:18PM

If it's truly going to be as good as you say, then you won't NEED to promote it. Your fans will do it for you.

And this isn't a way to get fans, also.

And also, claiming that it'll be better, then having a link to an Invisionfree site kinda sucks..>.> Just telling you right now.

Josh @ Aug 9th 2009 4:37PM

Well SE is dumb.

But whatever, I don't care.

Tim @ Aug 9th 2009 4:41PM

Trust me, the only way for this "Big in Japan, niche... in America!" franchise to blossom in FF- and DBZ-levels should have the following:

--pre-order bonuses that justify the Square Enix tax
--DBZ fanservice (the halos are just the beginning; they should step it up with the return of Hyper Tension [s]going Super Saiyan[/s] and the addition of scouters

JC Fletcher @ Aug 9th 2009 4:56PM

Maybe they should just release it here as "Dragon Quest IX THOUSAAAAAAAAND"

Donald @ Aug 9th 2009 8:20PM

"WHAT? MX?"

devilsei @ Aug 9th 2009 8:47PM

Dude! Just look! Gohan and Tien have infiltrated the game already! I'm sure that chick on the far right is Pan in a clever disguise! That's plenty right there!

Dalrint @ Aug 9th 2009 4:57PM

yeah. they're 'considering' whether they want their money in gold plated yen, or platinum plated yen.

Paviel @ Aug 9th 2009 5:19PM

How well did Dragon Quest IV and V on the DS do in North America?

How about VI? Is that out yet, or coming out soon, or what?

If those games did well or will do well, IX probably will too.

geyer2635 @ Aug 9th 2009 7:00PM

Well to be honest, DQIV and V remakes didnt do so well in America, unfortunately. VIII is the only one that did pretty decent over here and IX seems to be in that same style but more stuff in it so im sure it will do fine over here. I don't understand why it isnt popular over here. I mean yea, FF is pretty sweet but I think DQ is better. Classic gameplay and great story telling, cant beat it. And I really like the point of the DQ series, which is YOU are the hero. I can see how some of them can come off as a little boring but once you get past that, you would see that they are great, original games. Plus DQ started the RPG video game genre.

draco @ Aug 16th 2009 11:24PM

I bought VIII for the FFXII demo personally, but it was a great game. I preferred DQ III,IV on NES to FF1

Tim @ Aug 10th 2009 9:59AM

Geyer, I think the only reason why VIII did oh so well was due to the blatant DBZ fanservice, while the others are too old school for most a modern gamer's taste.

geyer2635 @ Aug 10th 2009 2:08PM

@Tim, you are probably right about that. Thats actually why I got into DQ in the first place, because of the art style. And they are really old school, but thats why I like it so much. I also like how it never strayed from its roots. Like how all of them take place in a mix between medieval times and modern day (for example, the bunnies, casinos, ect.) But DQIX will be different and SHOULD appeal to western gamers. i have the jap version right now and I have to say its the best in the series so far. A lot of new improvements that should have came along in VII and/or VIII

serge808 @ Aug 9th 2009 5:26PM

Why does Tien have 2 eyes?

TX2 @ Aug 10th 2009 1:02AM

To see things with

Mr Khan @ Aug 9th 2009 5:26PM

I reported you 4 times yesterday (and all in the same thread, too). How in the hell didn't it go through?

xSHiNOx @ Aug 9th 2009 5:30PM

damn, looks like we wont get it until fall or winter 2010. then again, they could take a long time to translate so probably spring 2011........

Mr Khan @ Aug 9th 2009 5:31PM

Square Enix should be willing to localize, and work hard to promote it, given their recent obsession with becoming more appealing in the West.

The game has fairly heavy customization for the main character, there's no random encounters, and the battles are fairly fast-paced, all of which should help (and all of which are leftovers from their original idea to make it almost an ARPG), all of which could help appeal in the west.

Rob Accomando @ Aug 9th 2009 5:36PM

what? I thought it was a definite that it was getting release in the U.S. Now they're just "Considering it?"

Did DQ8 not sell well or something?

StormX @ Aug 9th 2009 7:21PM

Oops, did I just spam that site until the admin had to take it down? Sorry.

Moptimus Slime (Leader of Princess Griffins Royal Guard, Golden Parachuter, Long Name Aficionado) @ Aug 9th 2009 7:56PM

I think whats going to hinder this game in the US is how multiplayer-focused it is without having Wi-Fi. I mean, local multiplayer is fine and good in Japan where most of the population lives in the same place, but in a place like America where everyones all spread out, they really need to have Wi-Fi.