Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Dragon Quest IX launches in North America on July 11 [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/19/dragon-quest-9-ds-june-11-release-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/19/dragon-quest-9-ds-june-11-release-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/19/dragon-quest-9-ds-june-11-release-date/#commentsNintendo and Square Enix have announced that the North American release of Dragon Quest IX: Sentinel of the Starry Skies for DS has been set for June July 11, exactly a year after it launched in Japan. As was revealed in February, Nintendo will be publishing the game here -- although the English localization is being handled by Square Enix and not NOA's Treehouse team.

Dragon Quest IX has sold more than four million copies to date in Japan, where the game's WiFi "Pass-By Guest" feature has proven very popular. North American gamers will get a chance to experience it as the renamed "Tag Mode," silently trading character stats, battle records and play data with other DQIX players simply by walking near each other with their handhelds in sleep mode. If you encounter a player who's logged more than 400 hours in the game, it's probably this guy.

You'll find pre-order information (and a rather delightful trailer) on the game's official website.

Update: Dragon Quest IX will be released in Europe on July 23.

Gallery: Dragon Quest IX (05-19-2010)

JoystiqDragon Quest IX launches in North America on July 11 [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 May 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSJRPGLevel-5localizationnintendonorth-americarelease-daterpgsquare-enixWed, 19 May 2010 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIII, Dragon Quest IX, Batman sales lead Square Enix fiscal year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/final-fantasy-xiii-dragon-quest-ix-batman-sales-lead-square-en/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/final-fantasy-xiii-dragon-quest-ix-batman-sales-lead-square-en/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/final-fantasy-xiii-dragon-quest-ix-batman-sales-lead-square-en/#comments Square Enix had a good fiscal year (ended March 31, 2010), but its games division had a very good year. Final Fantasy XIII sold over five million units globally during the period, with the Japan-only release of Dragon Quest IX coming in second with 4.26 million units. Thanks to the company's acquisition of Eidos last year, the company could count on some Batman: Arkham Asylum cash, with the pointy-eared detective's critically acclaimed title selling 3.24 million units -- it's a shame Square won't get a piece of the sequel.

Squenix's games division had sales of ¥109.9 billion ($1.18 billion) in the last fiscal year, up an impressive 128 percent over last year. With the Dark Knight out of the picture, Square Enix will have to depend on its other western franchises, including Kane & Lynch, Deus Ex and the games of Ms. Croft.

Source [PDF link] -- Results Briefing Session for the Fiscal Year ended March 31, 2010

Continue reading Final Fantasy XIII, Dragon Quest IX, Batman sales lead Square Enix fiscal year

JoystiqFinal Fantasy XIII, Dragon Quest IX, Batman sales lead Square Enix fiscal year originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 May 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batman-arkham-asylumDQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSeidosfinal-fantasy-xiiiFinancial-ResultsJRPGLevel-5MicrosoftNintendoRPGsalessquare-enixXbox-360Tue, 18 May 2010 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[What Itagaki's been playing: 400 hours of Dragon Quest IX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/07/what-itagakis-been-playing-400-hours-of-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/07/what-itagakis-been-playing-400-hours-of-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/07/what-itagakis-been-playing-400-hours-of-dragon-quest-ix/#comments After taking the past two years off from game development following a messy breakup with his old employer, Tecmo, Tomonobu Itagaki is back in the game (biz) as chief creative officer of Valhalla Game Studios. But what was Itagaki up to in those two years? Speaking with Famitsu (translated by 1UP), the Dead or Alive creator explained, "I spent the days doing anything I felt like, researching whatever kind of technology struck me, playing whatever games piqued my interest ... for example, I wound up playing Dragon Quest IX for about 400 hours." That's alotta slime!

In fairness, the developer wasn't exclusively sinking hundreds of hours of his free time into a single DS game -- he also spent quite a bit of time traveling to game studios around the world and doing R&D work for Valhalla's next (read: first) project, claimed to be "way outside the scope of our company" by Itagaki. According to him, that next game "will earn Valhalla Game Studios its place in history," and he intends it to sell at least four million copies. But for now, he's got a model train set to build with some of his friends.

"I'm planning to rent out some space and build a seriously big train layout, 7 or so meters (23 feet) in length. There are some professionals in that field among my friends, so I'm thinking about building something really decent together with them and having people come over and play with the results. It'd be a business, though I'd make it free for children -- kids are pretty rough with model trains, but I'll just have to deal with that." Kids these days.

JoystiqWhat Itagaki's been playing: 400 hours of Dragon Quest IX originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSitagakiJRPGLevel-5model-trainsNintendoRPGSquare-Enixtomonobu-itagakivalhalla-game-studiosWed, 07 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo Media Summit 2010: The Recap Post]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/28/nintendo-media-summit-2010-the-recap-post/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/28/nintendo-media-summit-2010-the-recap-post/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/28/nintendo-media-summit-2010-the-recap-post/#comments The 2010 Nintendo Media Summit has come and gone, and sent a wave of huge Nintendo news through the industry. We had hands-on time with some of the Wii's biggest upcoming titles, screenshots for almost everything on Nintendo's 2010 calendar and a big ol' sack full of new videos. In case you missed anything, we've wrapped it all up and have it here for you in one tidy little package.

Continue reading Nintendo Media Summit 2010: The Recap Post

JoystiqNintendo Media Summit 2010: The Recap Post originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cave-storydisney-guilty-partyDQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSdsiwareflingsmashJRPGLevel-5metroid-other-mmonado-beginning-of-the-worldmonster-hunter-trinintendonintendo-media-summitnintendo-media-summit-2010picross-3dpokemonprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsRPGsin-and-punishment-2sin-and-punishment-star-successorSquare-Enixsuper-mario-galaxy-2WiiwiiwarexenobladeSun, 28 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mario, Metroid, Sin and Punishment, more dated in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/25/mario-metroid-sin-and-punishment-more-dated-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/25/mario-metroid-sin-and-punishment-more-dated-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/25/mario-metroid-sin-and-punishment-more-dated-in-europe/#commentsHere's some great news for those of you in Europe interested in playing Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Sin and Punishment: Star Successor. Nintendo announced that Galaxy will be available in Europe on June 11, not long after America's May 23 date. And Sin and Punishment will be out in Europe (under the slightly altered title Sin and Punishment: Successor of the Skies) on May 7, exactly one month before North America gets its hands on that Treasure.

The bad news is that Metroid: Other M is dated simply "Q3." It's due June 27 in North America. We've collected all the European release dates for Wii and DS (including a "summer" date for Dragon Quest IX!) after the break.

[Via Eurogamer]

Continue reading Mario, Metroid, Sin and Punishment, more dated in Europe

JoystiqMario, Metroid, Sin and Punishment, more dated in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSeuropeflingsmashJRPGLevel-5metroidmetroid-other-mmonster-hunter-triNintendorelease-dateRPGsin-and-punishmentsin-and-punishment-2sin-and-punishment-star-successorSquare-Enixsuper-mario-galaxy-2WiiThu, 25 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo publishing Dragon Quest IX in North America]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/nintendo-publishing-dragon-quest-ix-in-north-america/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/nintendo-publishing-dragon-quest-ix-in-north-america/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/nintendo-publishing-dragon-quest-ix-in-north-america/#commentsAmerican DS owners have been waiting patiently for Dragon Quest IX, as the game racks up crazy sales in Japan and weekly DLC is released from Square Enix. Well ... we're going to have to keep waiting. While Nintendo didn't announce a date for the RPG at the Nintendo Media Summit today, the company announced that it will not only co-market Dragon Quest IX, it will publish it in North America. This is the first official confirmation of a localized release.

Square Enix previously said that it would consider localizing DQIX in its next fiscal year (beginning in April). Update: Nintendo has scheduled Dragon Quest IX for a summer 2010 release.

JoystiqNintendo publishing Dragon Quest IX in North America originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSJRPGLevel-5Nintendonintendo-media-summit-2010publishingq3-2010release-daterpgsquare-enixWed, 24 Feb 2010 14:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix summons strong sales for first nine months of fiscal year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/square-enix-summons-strong-sales-for-first-nine-months-of-fiscal/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/square-enix-summons-strong-sales-for-first-nine-months-of-fiscal/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/square-enix-summons-strong-sales-for-first-nine-months-of-fiscal/#comments According to Square Enix's financial report covering the first nine months (ending this past December) of its fiscal year, the company is going to finish its annual business cycle with plenty of glistening gil. Overall, the company's profits are up 48 percent from the same period last year, and it forecasts a profit of ¥10 billion (which is far less shocking when converted to $112 million) for the fiscal year ending in March 2010.

The company's games division saw limit breaker sales and profits during the period due to Dragon Quest IX, Final Fantasy XIII, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and Batman: Arkham Asylum -- which it obtained as part of the Eidos buyout. Square Enix's games group saw sales of ¥72 billion ($806 million, a 97 percent increase over last year), along with a profit of ¥18 billion ($202 million, a 99 percent increase during the same time). Kupos to you, Square Enix.

JoystiqSquare Enix summons strong sales for first nine months of fiscal year originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batman-arkham-asylumbusinessDQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSeidosfinal-fantasy-xiiifinancialsfy-2009fy-2009-2010fy-2010JRPGkingdom-heartsLevel-5Nintendoq1q2q3rpgsquare-enixMon, 08 Feb 2010 12:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix introduces 'Ultimate Hits' line for DS in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/12/square-enix-introduces-ultimate-hits-line-for-ds-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/12/square-enix-introduces-ultimate-hits-line-for-ds-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/12/square-enix-introduces-ultimate-hits-line-for-ds-in-japan/#comments It's a formula gamers are all too familiar with. First step: Release a game (and hope it sells a bunch). Second step: As time goes on and the sales pile up, gain interest in your product again through a discounted re-release. Rinse and repeat.

Enter: Dragon Quest IX, Final Fantasy IV, Dragon Quest IV and Dragon Quest V, a line-up of games to be branded under Square Enix's 'Ultimate Hits' (partial machine translation) line of DS games. Square Enix is gearing up to re-release these games this March, at a discounted ¥2,940 (around $32). That's cheap, considering most DS games release there for around $50.

[Via Kotaku]

JoystiqSquare Enix introduces 'Ultimate Hits' line for DS in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ArtePiazzaCattle-CallDQ5DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-5Dragon-Quest-5-Hand-of-the-Heavenly-BrideDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ivdragon-quest-ixdragon-quest-vfinal-fantasy-ivgreatest-hitsJRPGLevel-5NintendoRPGsquare-enixultimate-hitsTue, 12 Jan 2010 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Japanese games market shrank in 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/05/japanese-games-market-shrank-in-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/05/japanese-games-market-shrank-in-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/05/japanese-games-market-shrank-in-2009/#comments2009 looked fairly dire for the Japanese games industry. Now that we're on the other side of the year, we can assess the damage. Andriasang reports Enterbrain numbers claiming that, overall, the market shrank ¥543 billion, a reduction of 6.9% from 2008. Since we're in a Seinfeld-quoting mood today, we might posit that the Japanese game industry had been in the pool.

Hardware sales dropped 13.9%, with the DS unsurprisingly leading among consoles with 4,025,313 million units and the Xbox 360 even less surprisingly at the bottom, with 331,706 consoles sold. In software, the big winner (or smallest loser, we suppose, given the overall tone of the news) was Dragon Quest IX, which sold a whopping 4,100,968 copies -- slightly more than the total number of DS consoles sold in 2009! Final Fantasy XIII managed to make it onto the tail end of the top five with 1,698,256 copies. But if you weren't Square Enix or Nintendo (who had the other three spots on the top five software charts), 2009 was one to forget.

JoystiqJapanese games market shrank in 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSenterbrainfinal-fantasy-xiiiindustryjapanJRPGLevel-5NintendoRPGSquare-EnixWiiTue, 05 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ASCII Media Works tracks Japan's top selling games of 2009 (so far)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/28/ascii-media-works-tracks-japans-top-selling-games-of-2009-so-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/28/ascii-media-works-tracks-japans-top-selling-games-of-2009-so-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/28/ascii-media-works-tracks-japans-top-selling-games-of-2009-so-f/#comments
[GAME Watch]
Yes, the year technically isn't over yet -- but let's be honest: Nobody's going to be buying any new games over the next four days. As such, Dengeki publisher ASCII Media Works thought it appropriate to track the 30 best-selling games in Japan for 2009. Or, rather, 99 percent of 2009.

There aren't too many big surprises; Dragon Quest IX took top honors with 4,089,136 units sold, and Pokémon Heart Gold and Soul Silver came in second with 3,301,873 in sales. Despite having only been out for a little over a week, Final Fantasy XIII actually managed a sixth place finish with 1,455,505 units sold. Check out the full list of top-selling games after the jump.

[Via Kotaku]

Continue reading ASCII Media Works tracks Japan's top selling games of 2009 (so far)

JoystiqASCII Media Works tracks Japan's top selling games of 2009 (so far) originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ascii-media-worksdengekiDQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSfinal-fantasy-xiiijapanJRPGLevel-5MicrosoftNintendopokemon-heart-goldRPGsalessoftwareSquare-EnixWiiXbox-360Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest IX breaks shipment record in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/22/dragon-quest-ix-breaks-shipment-record-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/22/dragon-quest-ix-breaks-shipment-record-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/22/dragon-quest-ix-breaks-shipment-record-in-japan/#comments According to Square Enix, Dragon Quest IX has broken a shipment record in Japan, but we can't help but be underwhelmed by the figure (and not just because Square was hoping for 5 million). Unfortunately, Google Translate initially told us that the game had moved 415 million copies, rather than the 4.15 million it actually shipped. Sure, we guess 4.15 million is okay, but with 415 million, the jokes would have written themselves.

"There are only 127,704,000 people in your country! What, are you building forts out of the things?" See? There's a lot going on there. But let's not cry over spilled lulz -- 4.15 million is a great number and this is a time for celebration.

That said, if everybody over there wouldn't mind buying just 3.22 more copies of Dragon Quest IX, we'd be eternally grateful.

JoystiqDragon Quest IX breaks shipment record in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSjapanJRPGLevel-5Nintendorpgsalessquare-enixTue, 22 Dec 2009 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Trademark suggests upcoming European release for Dragon Quest IX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/03/trademark-suggests-upcoming-european-release-for-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/03/trademark-suggests-upcoming-european-release-for-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/03/trademark-suggests-upcoming-european-release-for-dragon-quest-ix/#commentsWhile we wait for the real, official announcement we so desperately need to hear from Square Enix, another hint has been dropped about a Western release for Dragon Quest IX.

Square Enix has filed a series of trademarks for the phrase "Sentinels of the Starry Skies" in English, French, Spanish, Italian, and German (search for trademark #008724528 on the EU trademark database to see the English application for yourself). The phrase corresponds closely to the Japanese subtitle of Dragon Quest IX, Hoshizora no Mamorubito ("Defenders of the Starry Sky").

The publisher could be waiting to get its other big RPG out the door before saying anything. It previously noted that if it does localize the DS game (which it will!) it'll be in the next fiscal year, which starts in April.

JoystiqTrademark suggests upcoming European release for Dragon Quest IX originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixeuropeJRPGLevel-5Nintendorpgsquare-enixtrademarkThu, 03 Dec 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Santa's Dragon Quest IX cameo now available in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/28/santas-dragon-quest-ix-cameo-now-available-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/28/santas-dragon-quest-ix-cameo-now-available-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/28/santas-dragon-quest-ix-cameo-now-available-in-japan/#commentsHe might know if you've been bad or good, but that won't stop St. Nick from sending you on a horse-related fetch quest in new DLC for Dragon Quest IX in Japan. Released on November 27, the Mr. Claus' Horse downloadable content brings the mythical gift giver to the insanely popular Nintendo DS title.

Sadly, we can only hope Square Enix plans to include this and previous Dragon Quest IX DLC when the game eventually lands in North American stores. You'd think a guy with a sleigh and a few flying reindeer could help speed-up the process, but apparently Santa's busy horse-sitting.

JoystiqSanta's Dragon Quest IX cameo now available in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlcdownloadable-contentDQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixjapanJRPGLevel-5NintendoRPGsantasanta-claussquare-enixSat, 28 Nov 2009 13:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix summons Earnings Report; Final Fantasy XIII Sales Projections evade attacks]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/square-enix-summons-earnings-report-final-fantasy-xiii-sales-pr/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/square-enix-summons-earnings-report-final-fantasy-xiii-sales-pr/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/square-enix-summons-earnings-report-final-fantasy-xiii-sales-pr/#comments Square Enix recently chose to attack with its annual earnings report, and among the 12-page PDF file's barrage of numbers, things look pretty good for the company. Net sales for the six months ending September 30, 2009 were up 33 percent over the same period last year to 91 billion yen ($1 billion), while operating income was also up by 39 percent to 13 billion yen ($144.5 million) over the same period last year. It's not all roses and Dragon Quest IX sales, however -- net income was down almost 58 percent to 2.7 billion yen ($30 million).

The statement also talks about the acquisition and assimilation of Eidos in direct proportion to Square Enix's games group division -- which includes video games across all platforms and online games for personal computers. Through the aid of titles like Batman: Arkham Asylum, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and the aforementioned Dragon Quest IX, the games division rose its net sales and operating income by 117 percent and 63 percent to 4.8 billion yen ($53 million) and 1.0 billion yen ($11 million), respectively.

As for the company's upcoming darling, Final Fantasy XIII, Square Enix prez Yoichi Wada spoke about concern regarding the title's projected domestic sales. Basically, he's not concerned at all! "PS3 sales continue to increase. We're bundling PS3 and FFXIII, and can expect even further sales increases. Orders for FFXIII are definitely not bad," he said. While he didn't reiterate anything as bold as six million, Wada did claim that the game is expected to sell in the millions.

Source - Square Enix earnings (PDF) [Via andriasang]
Source - Wada comments on FFXIII sales

JoystiqSquare Enix summons Earnings Report; Final Fantasy XIII Sales Projections evade attacks originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSearningsearnings-reporteidosfinancialJRPGLevel-5MicrosoftNintendoRPGsquare-enixWiiXbox-360yoichi-wadaFri, 06 Nov 2009 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest IX is Q3's top-selling game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/dragon-quest-ix-is-q3s-top-selling-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/dragon-quest-ix-is-q3s-top-selling-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/dragon-quest-ix-is-q3s-top-selling-game/#commentsDespite the handicap of not being for sale in most of the world, Dragon Quest IX for the DS sold more copies than any other game in the world between July and September of this year, according to a Top Global Markets report. With 3,925,000 copies sold in Japan, it outsold the number two best-selling game for that period, Wii Sports Resort, by almost 1,000,000 copies -- and that game was available worldwide.

Following Wii Sports Resort in the top five: Madden NFL 2010 at 2,612,000, Pokemon HeartGold And SoulSilver at 2,068,000, and Halo 3: ODST, which was only out for a week in Q3, at 1,847,000 copies. All these games have plenty more sales ahead of them as the holidays approach!

JoystiqDragon Quest IX is Q3's top-selling game originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDShalo-3-odstJRPGLevel-5madden-10MicrosoftNintendopokemon-heart-goldq3-2009RPGsalesSquare-Enixtop-global-marketsWiiXbox-360Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo still planning to co-market Dragon Quest IX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/03/nintendo-still-planning-to-co-market-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/03/nintendo-still-planning-to-co-market-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/03/nintendo-still-planning-to-co-market-dragon-quest-ix/#commentsThough Square Enix has yet to say anything concrete about releasing Dragon Quest IX outside of Japan, Nintendo has discussed its own plans to market the title. Last year, Satoru Iwata mentioned his intention to promote the game in the West, and during this week's financial results Q&A session, senior managing director Shinji Hatano reiterated that intention.

"Hatano said that helping to sell Dragon Quest IX outside Japan is part of a larger effort on the part of Nintendo to partner with software makers to sell their games for Nintendo hardware," GameLife summarized. Maybe eventually, Square Enix will announce this game.

Also on the subject of Dragon Quest IX, at the same event, Shigeru Miyamoto praised DQIX's communication mode, which allows players to collect and interact with others' characters passively. "Dragon Quest IX's passerby communication has caused the number of people walking around outside using their DS systems to increase greatly, and I'm thinking that I could probably make something unique like that," he said. And then he said "Also, recently, we got a cat." Hint, hint.

[Via GameLife]

JoystiqNintendo still planning to co-market Dragon Quest IX originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixearningsJRPGLevel-5miyamotoNintendoRPGshigeru-miyamotosquare-enixTue, 03 Nov 2009 13:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Japanese gaming market continues to decline]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/01/japanese-gaming-market-continues-to-decline/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/01/japanese-gaming-market-continues-to-decline/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/01/japanese-gaming-market-continues-to-decline/#comments We got our first indication that the Japanese gaming industry wasn't doing too hot in July, when gaming hardware and software sales from the first half of 2009 had dropped 24 percent from the same period last year. The recently released sales figures from the first half of fiscal 2009 (which runs from March 31 through September 28) are equally downtrodden: According to the industry analysts at Enterbrain, the Japanese games market fell 10.5 percent during this six-month period. That figure represents a 15.1 percent drop in hardware sales and a 7.5 percent decline in software sales.

The various models of the Nintendo DS were the biggest sellers during this period, moving nearly 1.7 million units combined. Appropriately, the top two selling titles during the half-year were Dragon Quest IX, which sold nearly 4 million copies, and the recently released Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver editions, which sold a little over 2 million combined. Not faring quite as well are the PSP (813k units sold), Wii (594k units sold), PS3 (581k units sold) and Xbox 360, which moved a paltry 137k units in the first half of the fiscal year.

No use crying over spilled milk, we suppose. Things can only go up from here! Unless, of course, they continue to go down. That's also an option.

[Via Kotaku]

JoystiqJapanese gaming market continues to decline originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2009DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSfiscal-yearhardwareindustryjapanJRPGLevel-5Nintendopokemon-heart-goldRPGsalessoftwareSquare-EnixThu, 01 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Weekly Dragon Quest IX sales drop under 100K for the first time]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/28/dragon-quest-ix-drops-under-100k-for-the-first-time/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/28/dragon-quest-ix-drops-under-100k-for-the-first-time/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/28/dragon-quest-ix-drops-under-100k-for-the-first-time/#commentsLast week, for the first time since its July debut, Dragon Quest IX sold fewer than 100,000 copies. Gamasutra reports that the latest Media Create totals (not yet up on Media Create's site) put Dragon Quest at 79,000 units sold for the week ending August 23, earning it the second-place spot behind another DS game, Nintendo's Tomodachi Collection.

This isn't the first week out of the top spot for DQIX: the August releases of SD Gundam G Generation Wars and Monster Hunter 3 bumped Square Enix's RPG sequel as well. Gamasutra estimates life-to-date sales for DQIX at 3.7 million units -- the rate of growth is slowing, but the results are still ridiculous.

JoystiqWeekly Dragon Quest IX sales drop under 100K for the first time originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSjapanJRPGLevel-5media-createNintendorpgsalessquare-enixtomodachi-collectionFri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix 'considering' Dragon Quest IX localization sometime after April]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/09/square-enix-considering-dragon-quest-ix-localization-sometime/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/09/square-enix-considering-dragon-quest-ix-localization-sometime/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/09/square-enix-considering-dragon-quest-ix-localization-sometime/#commentsHaving 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.

JoystiqSquare Enix 'considering' Dragon Quest IX localization sometime after April originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSJRPGLevel-5Nintendorpgsquare-enixyoichi-wadaSun, 09 Aug 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[There are now 3.5 million Dragon Quest IX cartridges]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/06/there-are-now-3-5-million-dragon-quest-ix-cartridges/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/06/there-are-now-3-5-million-dragon-quest-ix-cartridges/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/06/there-are-now-3-5-million-dragon-quest-ix-cartridges/#commentsWelcome to your weekly Dragon Quest IX sales update! We don't do this for most games, but, well, most games don't sell over two million copies in the first week. The relevant part of Square Enix's latest statement about the RPG's success is actually about shipments rather than sales: the company announced that as of yesterday, it had shipped out 3.5 million copies.

Sales are currently at 3.39 million, so we're confident that the 3.5 million shipped copies will be out of stores soon enough, and within a couple of weeks we'll hear about the number hitting 4 million. Still no announcements about a release outside of Japan, however, presumably because ... actually, we have no idea why Square Enix isn't using this ridiculous popularity to promote an international release.

JoystiqThere are now 3.5 million Dragon Quest IX cartridges originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSjapanJRPGlevel-5NintendorpgsalesSquare-EnixThu, 06 Aug 2009 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest IX sales cross 3 million mark]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/27/dragon-quest-ix-sales-cross-3-million-mark/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/27/dragon-quest-ix-sales-cross-3-million-mark/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/27/dragon-quest-ix-sales-cross-3-million-mark/#comments In the old American West, emigrants traveling in wagon trains through the plains would pass around the unenviable task of cooking for the group. Following in that grand tradition, the Joystiq staffers force each other to take turns writing stories about how Dragon Quest IX has sold several or perhaps even many severals of copies.

In this case, the magic number is 3.2 million, as reported by Famitsu. While it's still 1.8 million short of the 5 million Square Enix hopes to ship, it's, you know, not bad.

[Via andriasang.com]

JoystiqDragon Quest IX sales cross 3 million mark originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSJRPGLevel-5Nintendorpgsalessquare-enixMon, 27 Jul 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Japan gets first DQ IX 'Story Quest' DLC July 24]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/japan-gets-first-dq-ix-story-quest-dlc-july-24/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/japan-gets-first-dq-ix-story-quest-dlc-july-24/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/japan-gets-first-dq-ix-story-quest-dlc-july-24/#commentsAndriasang.com reports that Japan will receive the first "Story Quest" DLC for Dragon Quest IX this Friday, July 24. While there aren't specific details as to what a Story Quest actually is, it certainly sounds fairly self-explanatory. The DLC is entitled "Rikka's Dream Treasure" and tasks players with snagging a specific treasure map for Rikka the innkeeper. Andria Sang notes that treasure maps are distributed randomly, which could make the quest a bit more difficult than it sounds.

Another standard quest will also be available, "Wonderful Birthday," in which a character is searching for an item available on the Dragon Quest IX Wi-Fi shopping system. So, we guess you have to buy someone something? Doesn't seem like much of a quest, really.

Still, if you've already cleared Dragon Quest IX -- which is actually a requirement for playing the DLC -- you're probably ready for more.

JoystiqJapan gets first DQ IX 'Story Quest' DLC July 24 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlcDQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixjapanJRPGLevel-5NintendoRPGsquaresquare-enixWed, 22 Jul 2009 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix expects to ship 5 million copies of Dragon Quest IX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/20/square-enix-expects-to-ship-5-million-copies-of-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/20/square-enix-expects-to-ship-5-million-copies-of-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/20/square-enix-expects-to-ship-5-million-copies-of-dragon-quest-ix/#commentsLast week, Square Enix president Yoichi Wada gave a statement to Japanese press that helps illustrate the company's (justifiable) sales expectation for Dragon Quest IX. "We're looking at reaching over 5 million copies of Dragon Quest IX shipped," he said, as translated by Kotaku. With three million shipped in the game's first week, 2.3 million of which sold right away, five million seems conservative, and we can only assume Wada is referring only to shipments in Japan.

Somewhat less conservative is the forecast Wada made last year, of ten million units. While we have absolutely no doubt DQIX will break a record or two in Japan with the combination of Dragon Quest-level initial sales and DS-style longterm sales, that still seems optimistic.

JoystiqSquare Enix expects to ship 5 million copies of Dragon Quest IX originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixJRPGLevel-5Nintendorpgsalessquare-enixyoichi-wadaMon, 20 Jul 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest IX leads to increased DS sales in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/17/dragon-quest-ix-leads-to-increased-ds-sales-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/17/dragon-quest-ix-leads-to-increased-ds-sales-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/17/dragon-quest-ix-leads-to-increased-ds-sales-in-japan/#commentsNintendo of America touted the DS's sales in June, noting that the handheld outsold every home console combined, according to the June NPD numbers. Nintendo of Japan has its own success to be proud of, thanks to the release of Dragon Quest IX, which -- can you believe it -- led to increased hardware sales last week.

According to Media Create, the DSi sold 118,202 units last week, up from the previous week's 46,855. That actually seems like a pretty minor boost given that Dragon Quest sold over two million copies, and given that the red DSi launched alongside it. The DS Lite even managed to sell 10,161 units, presumably because DSis were sold out.

[Via MCV]

JoystiqDragon Quest IX leads to increased DS sales in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSjapanJRPGLevel-5media-createNintendoRPGsalessquare-enixFri, 17 Jul 2009 17:05:00 EST<![CDATA[McDonalds offering exclusive Dragon Quest IX minigame]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/16/mcdonalds-offering-exclusive-dragon-quest-ix-minigame/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/16/mcdonalds-offering-exclusive-dragon-quest-ix-minigame/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/16/mcdonalds-offering-exclusive-dragon-quest-ix-minigame/#commentsFollowing the conclusion of the Pokemon Stamp Rally, the "Mac de DS" program at McDonalds will feature a promotion that ties into the biggest DS game of the year, Dragon Quest IX.

Dragon Quest: McDonalds no Tabibito-tachi (McDonalds' Travelers) is a downloadable, battle-only Dragon Quest IX minigame in which players battle monsters in order to level up to level 10. It can only be played once per day -- if you want to continue leveling your character, you have to return to Mickey D's and grab the file again. Visit five times -- whether you complete the game or not -- and you get a free burger. It's a way for DQ fans to get a little extra content, and for that one guy who didn't buy DQIX to try out the game.

The DQIX promotion runs from July 31 through September 1.

JoystiqMcDonalds offering exclusive Dragon Quest IX minigame originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixjapanJRPGLevel-5mac-de-dsmcdonaldsNintendoRPGsquare-enixThu, 16 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Famitsu hands Dragon Quest IX a 40]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/15/famitsu-hands-dragon-quest-ix-a-40/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/15/famitsu-hands-dragon-quest-ix-a-40/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/15/famitsu-hands-dragon-quest-ix-a-40/#commentsFamitsu has given Dragon Quest IX a perfect 40/40 score in its review. According to Kotaku, the reviewers lauded DQIX's "ground breaking" multiplayer and its music, and called the storyline "easy to follow and straightforward, but also with moving scenes as well."

While it's kind of a running joke that Famitsu basically rubber-stamps effusive reviews for Square Enix titles, we were surprised to discover that this game is actually the first Dragon Quest to receive a perfect 40, and is one of only ten 40 scores awarded. Of course, Dragon Quests III, VII, and VIII weren't far off with their 39 ratings.

Kotaku also notes that the Amazon Japan reviews tend ... not to be as positive, though they apparently center around complaints about the Sandy character, an annoying ganguro fairy who has already inspired a "Die Sandy " Flash game.

JoystiqFamitsu hands Dragon Quest IX a 40 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSfamitsuJRPGLevel-5Nintendorpgsquare-enixWed, 15 Jul 2009 12:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest IX sells 2.3 million copies in two days]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/13/dragon-quest-ix-sells-2-3-million-copies-in-two-days/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/13/dragon-quest-ix-sells-2-3-million-copies-in-two-days/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/13/dragon-quest-ix-sells-2-3-million-copies-in-two-days/#commentsJapanese consumers eagerly grabbed up copies of Square Enix's Dragon Quest IX over the weekend, putting to rest any concern that the move to a handheld system would bother fans in the least.

Enterbrain reports that the game sold 2,343,440 copies in its first week -- its "first week" actually being two days. Media Create reports a similar total of 2,318,932 copies. This beats the first-week record set by ... Dragon Quest VIII, of course! Media Create reports a sell-through rate of 81.56%, suggesting (according to Andriasang) that it probably sold out in some locations.

There's something very comforting about reading stories of massive Dragon Quest sales in Japan. It's a reminder that some things in the gaming world are just like we remember them, even after decades. After the break, you can watch the game's intro movie as you begin the long wait for localization.

[Image via GAME Watch, video via Gemaga]

Continue reading Dragon Quest IX sells 2.3 million copies in two days

JoystiqDragon Quest IX sells 2.3 million copies in two days originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSenterbrainJRPGLevel-5media-createNintendorpgsalessquare-enixMon, 13 Jul 2009 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[2 million people pre-ordered Dragon Quest IX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/09/2-million-people-pre-ordered-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/09/2-million-people-pre-ordered-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/09/2-million-people-pre-ordered-dragon-quest-ix/#comments Square Enix is set to unload Dragon Quest IX onto the Japanese populace this week and it's apparently a big deal over there. A report (via Inside Games) shows the title has over two million pre-orders across various retailers in the country. It just blows our minds, because Japan has never been that fond of the Dragon Quest franchise.

So, for those of you keeping score on your Craz-o-meters, this is basically Gary Busey-level stuff we're talking about here. It's like running around in the street with no pants on, screaming that you're the person responsible for velcro technology and the Aurora Borealis.

[Via Kotaku]

Joystiq2 million people pre-ordered Dragon Quest IX originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSjapanJRPGLevel-5Nintendopre-orderpreorderRPGsquare-enixThu, 09 Jul 2009 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fake Dragon Quest IX ROM punishes overeager pirates]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/fake-dragon-quest-ix-rom-punishes-overeager-pirates/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/fake-dragon-quest-ix-rom-punishes-overeager-pirates/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/fake-dragon-quest-ix-rom-punishes-overeager-pirates/#commentsOkay, let's get this out of the way right up front: Downloading what you think is a ROM of the Japanese release of Dragon Quest IX, days before it even comes out, is not cool. It turns out that it will probably also end up being hazardous to your DS.

DS Scene reports that a file going around, labeled "Dragon Quest IX JPN DSi Enhanced NDS iND," is actually not Dragon Quest IX at all, but rather a malicious program that can overwrite a DS's firmware and render systems unusable. The program is disguised as a hentai slideshow called "DS Owata," which is itself disguised as Dragon Quest IX.

Our advice in this case is to do your very best not to be a pirate and just buy the thing when you can. Square Enix booby-traps its legitimate games against piracy anyway.

JoystiqFake Dragon Quest IX ROM punishes overeager pirates originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixJRPGLevel-5Nintendopiracyrpgsquare-enixWed, 08 Jul 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest IX save data 'enormous;' only one slot allowed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/dragon-quest-ix-save-data-enormous-only-one-slot-allowed/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/dragon-quest-ix-save-data-enormous-only-one-slot-allowed/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/dragon-quest-ix-save-data-enormous-only-one-slot-allowed/#comments The upcoming DS-exclusive RPG, Dragon Quest IX, is massive. In fact, producer Ryutaro Ichimura notes that "the amount of freedom we give players is huge." The consequence? "The data that needs to be saved is enormous." Instead of providing multiple save slots, as found in most DS games, Dragon Quest IX is too large to fit more than one save file in the DS cartridge's limited memory.

While those who prefer creating multiple save points (before a dungeon, for example) will be disappointed, we're reminded of yet another huge DS game: Pokemon. And like Nintendo's monster collecting RPG, Dragon Quest IX will feature a backup system just in case your DS battery dies. "The scariest for save data is when the battery dies," notes DQ creator Yuji Horii. With this system in place, you'll be safe knowing a failed save won't result in hours of gameplay lost.

[Via Kotaku]

JoystiqDragon Quest IX save data 'enormous;' only one slot allowed originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixdsJRPGLevel-5Nintendonintendo-dsRPGsaveSquare-EnixWed, 08 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Seven minutes of Dragon Quest IX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/16/seven-minutes-of-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/16/seven-minutes-of-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/16/seven-minutes-of-dragon-quest-ix/#commentsSquare Enix has finally started ramping up the promotion for a game that basically needs no promotion: Dragon Quest IX. With a new semi-open-ended structure and multiplayer gameplay, there's a lot of mysterious new content in this game -- even after Square Enix and Level-5 toned down the "new."

The last half of this (seven-minute-long) new trailer focuses on the multiplayer mode, which adds a bit of the unexpected to the expected (the expected being a tavern lobby and multiplayer dungeons). You can see players taunting each other and dancing, and one player even demonstrates the ability to be a jerk to other players by setting pit traps. Classy. Check out the trailer after the break.

Continue reading Seven minutes of Dragon Quest IX

JoystiqSeven minutes of Dragon Quest IX originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixJRPGlevel-5Nintendorpgsquare-enixTue, 16 Jun 2009 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix introduces some new Dragon Quest IX characters]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/11/square-enix-introduces-some-new-dragon-quest-ix-characters/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/11/square-enix-introduces-some-new-dragon-quest-ix-characters/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/11/square-enix-introduces-some-new-dragon-quest-ix-characters/#commentsOne month before the Japanese launch date (can it really be that soon?) Square Enix has released new screenshots of Dragon Quest IX, with brief introductions to some of the cast. The game has quite a sizable ensemble of characters! Most of them are humans living in a village, but at least some portion of the game is also set in an "angel world" where angels feed a World Tree to get it to yield fruit.

Some of the colorful cast of (human) characters introduced in today's update include Olga (Origa?), a young girl who frequently wades into the sea to pray; Lu Fin and Eliza, an archaeologist and wife, and Ratena, a mysterious, hooded girl who has some kind of sway over the hero.

Dragon Quest IX's semi-sandbox structure means we could be engaging in various optional side quests for all of these people. We're willing to guess those archaeologists would pay for relics found in dungeons, for example.

JoystiqSquare Enix introduces some new Dragon Quest IX characters originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixJRPGLevel-5Nintendorpgsquare-enixThu, 11 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[April Fools: Gag taunts downtrodden Dragon Quest IX fans]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/april-fools-day-gag-taunts-downtrodden-dragon-quest-ix-fans/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/april-fools-day-gag-taunts-downtrodden-dragon-quest-ix-fans/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/april-fools-day-gag-taunts-downtrodden-dragon-quest-ix-fans/#commentsAs a hilarious April Fools' Day prank, AkibaBlog posted a notice that Square Enix's DS role-playing game, Dragon Quest IX, had gone on sale early, with stores hosting surprise midnight launches. The blog posted pictures from other launch events in Tokyo's Akihabara district, passing them off as images of 2,000 eager gamers waiting to pick up their copies of the game. "The Starry Sky is protected, but the release date isn't," according to a fake marketing slogan.

If you happen to be in Akihabara, don't rush over to Sofmap! It's a joke. It seems especially cruel to pick on the people waiting for Dragon Quest IX, who are already grief-stricken over the game's delay from March 28 to July 11, and many of whom are probably crying right now, collapsed on the sidewalk outside of AsoBit Game City.

[Via Kotaku]

JoystiqApril Fools: Gag taunts downtrodden Dragon Quest IX fans originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>akihabaraapril-foolsapril-fools-09DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSJRPGLevel-5Nintendorpgsquare-enixWed, 01 Apr 2009 11:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest IX delay may influence Final Fantasy XIII]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/13/dragon-quest-ix-delay-may-influence-final-fantasy-xiii/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/13/dragon-quest-ix-delay-may-influence-final-fantasy-xiii/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/13/dragon-quest-ix-delay-may-influence-final-fantasy-xiii/#comments So Square Enix' next DS bestseller, Dragon Quest IX, has been pushed back to the next fiscal year in Japan, thanks to some major bugs. Whoops! No wonder the company slashed their earnings forecast for the year. What does this mean for Square Enix' other titles? Japanese news site IT Media reports that Final Fantasy XIII may be influenced by the delay of Dragon Quest IX, according to Yoichi Wada.

It's unclear as to what form this "influence" will take and nothing more specific has been said. It could mean Final Fantasy XIII will be delayed in Japan, or it could mean that the game is actually brought forward in the US and Europe in order to increase the company's FY 2009 income and more quickly recoup their FY 2008 losses. Alternatively, it could mean the main character might wear a slightly different outfit now. We simply don't know.

[Via Kotaku]

JoystiqDragon Quest IX delay may influence Final Fantasy XIII originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessdelayDQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-xiiiJRPGLevel-5MicrosoftNintendoRPGsquare-enixXbox-360Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix lowers revenue forecast for fiscal year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/12/square-enix-lowers-revenue-forecast-for-fiscal-09/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/12/square-enix-lowers-revenue-forecast-for-fiscal-09/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/12/square-enix-lowers-revenue-forecast-for-fiscal-09/#comments First, the bad news: Square Enix has lowered its (delayed) revenue forecast for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009. In fact, it has lowered the forecast so much that "lowered" is really just a polite euphemism. As reported by Edge Online, the previously expected net income of 12 billion yen has been scaled down slashed to 4.5 billion yen, a considerably smaller amount than the previous year's net income of 9.1 billion yen.

The Japanese publisher, which just proposed a takeover bid for ailing Eidos, also expects operating income to miss last year's 21? ?billion? yen and settle for an inverted 12? ?billion. The underperformance is pinned on "Amusement? (?Taito Corporation?) ?and games? (?offline segments?)," particularly the "severe business environment for Amusement,? ?and the adjourned release of a major game software??,? ?which was originally announced to be released March? .?" Said major game software is Dragon Quest IX, which will now be deployed in Japan on July 11th.

The good news: That's the end of the bad news.

JoystiqSquare Enix lowers revenue forecast for fiscal year originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BusinessDelayDQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-SkiesDragon-Quest-IXDSJRPGLevel-5NintendoRPGSquare-EnixThu, 12 Feb 2009 08:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest IX delayed until July in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/12/dragon-quest-ix-delayed-until-july-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/12/dragon-quest-ix-delayed-until-july-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/12/dragon-quest-ix-delayed-until-july-in-japan/#commentsFiled under: ,

Square Enix has announced a delay of Dragon Quest IX from its March 28 release date to July 11. The March release date had been announced at a Dragon Quest-specific press conference in December. The announcement indicates that major bugs were found in the game code.

This delay seems like somewhat of an emergency measure; as NeoGAF members note, Square Enix had already put a lot of money and effort into advertising the game around Japan, including promotional signage around 7-Eleven stores -- a partnership that has since proven ironic.

In somewhat less terrible news, Famitsu has posted new screens of the game, featuring an inn-based communication system. Players can visit their friends' version of Ricca Inn, and leave messages and treasure maps.

[Via NeoGAF]

JoystiqDragon Quest IX delayed until July in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 07:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>delayDQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixJRPGLevel-5Nintendorpgsquare-enixThu, 12 Feb 2009 07:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest IX, or 'Dragon MapQuest IX'?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/29/dragon-quest-ix-or-dragon-mapquest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/29/dragon-quest-ix-or-dragon-mapquest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/29/dragon-quest-ix-or-dragon-mapquest-ix/#commentsFiled under: ,

It's a minor thing, but the map screen in Dragon Quest IX is quite lovely. And, honestly, it's more important to have a nice world map than it may seem, because you'll be staring at the thing all the time. The sepia-toned map provides a detailed drawing of the world, including bridges and other narrow crossings.

Less detailed, but still pretty great, is the treasure map, seen here. These maps imitate the color scheme of the main world map, but are drawn crudely and with much less detail. Treasure maps, of course, are marked with an X in a location corresponding to some mysterious treasure -- housed inside caves.

Once inside the cave, you switch over to a blank automap that fills in as you explore. That's a lot of different mapping for one game!

JoystiqDragon Quest IX, or 'Dragon MapQuest IX'? originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixJRPGlevel-5Nintendorpgsquare-enixThu, 29 Jan 2009 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Old and new in Dragon Quest IX's combat]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/old-and-new-in-dragon-quest-ixs-combat/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/old-and-new-in-dragon-quest-ixs-combat/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/old-and-new-in-dragon-quest-ixs-combat/#commentsFiled under: ,

Square Enix has released new screenshots of Dragon Quest IX's combat. The most significant addition to the system is the camera movement, if the breathless Famitsu writeup is to be believed. It's just like the camera in battles in Dragon Quest VIII, and every other RPG since Final Fantasy VII, but 3D anything still seems novel to the series.

The new "Hissatsu" moves, on the other hand, actually seem novel. Each class has a different special move that can only be activated at low HP. And if everyone in a multiplayer game does a Hissatsu at the same time, it will combine into a stronger attack!

JoystiqOld and new in Dragon Quest IX's combat originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixJRPGLevel-5Nintendorpgsquare-enixThu, 15 Jan 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Getting your wings in Dragon Quest IX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/06/getting-your-wings-in-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/06/getting-your-wings-in-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/06/getting-your-wings-in-dragon-quest-ix/#commentsFiled under: ,

Square Enix sent out some new screens of Dragon Quest IX, along with some information about the early storyline. Apparently, you start the game dead (or just inhuman), in some kind of land of angels, working to acquire some kind of "goddess fruit". Your (custom) character must get Star Auras from completed quests in order to make the World Tree grow this fruit.

At least in the early portion, Dragon Quest IX will have somewhat of an open-ended structure, as you agree to take on quests from townspeople in order to help them out and earn your Star Auras. We are quite certain that the game will have a fairly linear storyline (it is Dragon Quest), but it's interesting to see Square Enix experimenting just a bit with nonlinearity.


[Screens via GAME Watch]

JoystiqGetting your wings in Dragon Quest IX originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixJRPGLevel-5Nintendorpgsquare-enixTue, 06 Jan 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New creatures, new jobs, new screens for Dragon Quest IX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/29/new-creatures-new-jobs-new-screens-for-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/29/new-creatures-new-jobs-new-screens-for-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/29/new-creatures-new-jobs-new-screens-for-dragon-quest-ix/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you want new in the next Dragon Quest, you're going to get it. It looks like Square Enix and Level-5 are making up for a long silence on the game, considering we're looking at more than two dozen (!!) new screenshots, and lots of new goodies for the title. In the recent screens, loads of new things were revealed: at least two new monsters were shown (Zucchinya and Moomon), as well as one, and maybe two new classes.

While we've only seen someone labeled Bodybuilder (possibly new?), the Traveling Performer (possibly minstrel) was officially revealed. Among the performer's abilities are acrobatics and making the monster laugh ... too hard to attack, we presume. If it laughs and then kicks your ass, it's not much help.

Traveling Performers would be restricted to one of the goofier faces, in a perfect world.



[Via Game Tsunami]

JoystiqNew creatures, new jobs, new screens for Dragon Quest IX originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixjobJRPGlevel-5Nintendorpgsquare-enixtraveling-performerMon, 29 Dec 2008 11:30:00 EST