The release date for Dragon Quest 12 has been pushed back due to its new focus on more adult themes, according to creator Yuji Horii.

Announced way back in 2021, the 12th instalment of the Dragon Quest series, subtitled The Flames Of Fate, still hasn’t had so much as a screenshot to its name.

While official details are scarce, what we do know is that Dragon Quest 12 is taking quite a few risks this time around, including launching simultaneously worldwide. 

The Dragon Quest series’ core appeal has always been its cheerful and family friendly tone, however, the upcoming game is taking a more adult-orientated approach, which seems to be posing some challenges during its development. 

In a recent interview with Japanese publication DenfaminicoGamer Dragon Quest’s creator Yuji Horiiwas asked about when fans can expect the long-awaited 12th instalment. 

Horii quickly debunked speculations of an imminent release for the game, saying that it will take ‘a little while,’ likely meaning it won’t happen in 2023. 

The reason behind the delay? The game’s new focus on adult audiences has apparently caused the studio ‘a lot of trouble.’ 

While the game has always been immense popular in Japan, even more so than globally popular franchises like Final Fantasy, it is still considered very niche in the West.

The decision to change the game’s tone to make it darker and more adult certainly feels like an attempt to resonate more with Western audiences, but exactly how that shift in focus will work is still not clear.

Horii also acknowledged the Covid-19 pandemic as another factor causing the game’s prolonged development, resulting in fans experiencing the largest gap ever seen between any mainline Dragon Quest release.

Not only is there no release date, or year, for the game, it’s also clear when it will be shown in public for the first time, with no guarantee that will happen this year.

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