Everything you need to know about Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate

There were a lot of notable video game birthdays in 2021. It turns out that 1986 was a baby boon for the gaming industry that produced franchises like The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and many more. We’ve already seen celebrations for many of those games but prepare for one more.

The Dragon Quest series turned 35 in May 2021, which means it’s finally old enough to fight a mid-game boss. The series has been a tremendous success in Japan over the past three and a half decades, but it’s only recently started to gain attention stateside. That’s largely thanks to Dragon Quest XI, which was a huge hit among RPG fans.

As fans expected, that’s officially getting a sequel. Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate is official, and it is shaping up to be a slight departure for the series.

Here’s what you need to know.

When will Dragon Quest 12 be released?

We don’t quite have one yet. The game’s announcement was more of a logo reveal than anything, so we didn’t get so much as a release window. What we do know is that it’ll have a simultaneous worldwide launch, so the west will get it at the same time as Japan. Beyond that, it’s a mystery.

Is there a Dragon Quest 12 trailer?

Sort of, but there’s not much to say about it. It’s basically just a logo reveal that teases a lot of fire and brimstone. That was followed by a brief Q&A session where we got more details on what the game will be like, but we’ve yet to see actual gameplay footage.

What are the Dragon Quest 12 platforms?

For now, that’s a mystery. No platforms were confirmed when the game was announced. Judging from previous games, we can safely assume it’ll come to PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. Dragon Quest XI is available on Nintendo Switch as well, so it’s possible it could launch there too. We’ll just have to wait and see.

What’s different about Dragon Quest 12?

While we didn’t get any official footage, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii did tease some changes for the sequel. For one, the game is said to be a little darker than previous entries. It was referred to as a Dragon Quest “for adults” during the live stream. That would explain the particularly dark aesthetic of its gloom and doom logo.

As for gameplay, the combat system is getting some kind of overhaul. Horii didn’t describe what exactly that’ll entail, but it sounds like it’ll be a somewhat major departure. The series is known for being a traditional turn-based JRPG, so a shake-up there would be significant.

Choices are also going to play a role in the game, though it’s unclear what exactly that means. That idea is certainly more in line with a newer style of RPG, indicating that the game might be a little more modern than previous installments.