It’s been quite some time since Dragon Quest XIÂ arrived in Japan, but those of us over in the West haven’t been so lucky, often leaving some to question whether we’ll be getting it at all.
Well, it appears things will stay that way…until at least April 2018, that is.
In a press release detailing Square Enix’s financial results for the nine-month period ended Dec. 31, 2017, the company detailed its fortunes over the past fiscal year and aspirations for the upcoming one. Overall, the company suffered a net sales decline partially due to what it is described as an increasingly “competitive and oligopolistic” console game market in North America and Europe. However, SE still managed to turn a profit thanks to the success of NieR: Automata, MMOs and various smartphone titles.
In addition, when discussing plans for the remainder of the fiscal year (such as the Final Fantasy 30th Year Anniversary Exhibition), Square Enix noted that it doesn’t have any plans to release any other major titles until the start of the next one, meaning that Dragon Quest XI won’t be arriving until at least April 2018.
This is unfortunate news for those who were hoping to get their hands on Dragon Quest XI sooner, rather than later. But this revelation is hardly surprising. Compared to a year ago, the news about the game is practically non-existent. In fact, it’s been several months since we’ve even heard anything about its localization and this is definitely the type of game that would have its release date revealed well in advance (similar to Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age).
That said, here’s to hoping we hear more about Dragon Quest XI in the near future. A release window — however wide it is — is nice, but fans are looking for something a little more…concrete.
If you want to see more about Square Enix’s results, check out the supplemental slide show.
