E3 10: Nintendo to Release Dragon Quest IX Next Month

As previously reported, Nintendo has assumed publishing duties of Square Enix's huge-in-Japan casual MMO, Dragon Quest IX.

While NOA president, Reggie Fils-Aime, talked up DQIX's multiplayer push, the North American version, unfortunately, will lose a lot of the online functionality of the Japanese original, limiting online multiplay to only 3 people at a time.

Also announced with the title was the inclusion of a 'tag mode' which allows gamers with their DS in sleep mode to search for friends also connected.

Dragon Quest IX will be available on Nintendo DS on July 11, 2010 in North America.

Nintendo to Publish Dragon Quest IX in North America

So, Dragon Quest. It's kind of a paradox. While it is unquestionably the biggest JRPG series in Japan, and fiercely defended by JRPG purists around the world, its presence outside of Japan is niche at best, unmemorable at worst.

Though Square Enix has tried several times to make the series relevant to North Americans, their recent effort with the DS remakes has been with an air of resignment. "Westerners just aren't interested in Dragon Quest," seems to be the attitude, and many fans have been worried that Dragon Quest IX might be passed up for localization completely.

But with over 4 million copies sold in Japan, it appears that Nintendo isn't interested in letting this one slip under the radar, and has announced that they will be assuming publishing duties of the title on this side of the Pacific.

Though Nintendo claims that they have formed a "unique partnership" with Square Enix to make this happen, Microsoft and Ubisoft have made similar partnerships to publish titles Square Enix wasn't interested in (Project Sylpheed and Drakengard 2 respectively, if anyone is counting).

Though Nintendo has yet to announce a formal release date, they have promised that the game will be out sometime this summer for Nintendo DS, and will be released as Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies.

[Kotaku]

This is what Dragon Quest IX would be like if you could actually play it

Seems like we're talking a lot about heavily delayed games this week (I'm sure Final Fantasy Versus XIII is bound to show up somewhere this week too :P). Be that as it may, Square Enix dropped off a lengthy video for Dragon Quest IX: Hoshizora no Mamoribito.

This isn't just some trailer, however. It's something closer to a moving instruction booklet. Actually, maybe an infomercial is a better comparison? Either way, in case you are dying to play this game so badly that your head might explode, the following 7+ minutes of explanatory gameplay should either soothe that ache, or drive you to insanity. I can't guarantee either.



With how many years this game has been pushing back release dates, I'm sure Square Enix is really scraping the bottom of the barrel trying to come up with stuff to put in trailers. And this is where we are. Instructions on how to play a game that doesn't have a release date. Incredible.

Dragon Quest IX: Hoshizora no Mamoribito will be available for Nintendo DS sometime before 2057 (I think) in Japan. Though some claim that we'll see it this year, I don't want to give you any false hope.

Dragon Quest IX Delayed... Yet Again

Square Enix has just dropped word that their newest entry into the enormous-in-Japan franchise, Dragon Quest IX, has indeed been delayed again. If you are surprised by this, I would like to be the one to inform you that the word "gullible" is not in the dictionary. I'm serious, go look it up.

Anyhow, originally slated for release next month in Japan, Square Enix has pushed the title back to summer 2009 citing quality control issues with the title.

Dragon Quest IX, the second joint DQ title between Square Enix and Level 5, was initially announced for release in 2007, but has since gone on to be delayed and delayed again. This latest delay has been a major factor in the RPG supergiant slashing its financial forecast for the year ending March 31, 2009 by a hefty 62.5%. Ouch.

This has to be the most delayed game in history. I'm terribly sorry if you were hoping to get your hands on it next month. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that it will actually make its new August release date.

Dragon Quest IX: Hoshizora no Mamoribito will be available on Nintendo DS (supposedly) on August 7, 2009 in Japan.

Dragons + DS Trifecta Rounds Out with Dragon Quest IX Trailer

Today's dragon + DS theme is brought to a conclusion with the latest trailer for Square Enix's upcoming Dragon Quest IX: Hoshizora no Mamoribito. The trailer features a lot of Dragon Questing just how it was meant to be: looking outdated.

Take a look.



Despite the awful graphics, the game looks like it might have an interesting story behind it. I suppose we'll have to wait and see.

Dragon Quest IX: Hoshizora no Mamoribito will be available on Nintedo DS on March 23, 2009 in Japan.

Iwata Wants to Change the World

Oh Nintendo. All you do day in and day out is revolutionize everything. Good graphics? Pffft. Needs more waggle/touch screen support. Exciting games? Pffft. Needs more bathroom scale simulator.

Though you RPGamers think you're safe from Nintendo's revolutions, be aware that you aren't. Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata wants you to know that Dragon Quest IX is totally sweet, and is wants to make sure everyone knows it.

Not content with the niche following of the series, Iwata wants the upcoming DQIX to be a hit outside of Japan too.

Quoth the Iwata:

"At Nintendo, we were able to popularize the Brain Age series overseas, which was said to be unmarketable," stated Big N's chief. "I want to increase the number of people worldwide that understand the appeal of Dragon Quest."

Uhh... the appeal of Dragon Quest, you say? A thousand apologies, good sir, but Dragon Quest is a series so dripping in hardcore JRPGing that it would give normal gamers a brain tumor. I don't think anyone would disagree that Dragon Quest is something of an acquired taste among North Americans. Even hardcore RPG fans don't all agree on what is good about Dragon Quest. I'm not sure your Brain Age crowd is really going to be all that thrilled about turn-based battles and Toriyama art there, Iwata my man.

But hey. All revolutions begin with a dream.

Dragon Quest IX Dated, Also Dragon Quest X

Nintendo and Square Enix held a little press conference last night to talk about the biggest JRPG franchise in Japan: Dragon Quest.

While the series remains relatively niche abroad, Dragon Quest is more or less the definitive RPG for Japan. Probably 90% of the entire country has bought and played at least one Dragon Quest game, and I'd be very surprised to meet anyone under the age of 80 who hasn't heard of it. Scratch that. Make it 90.

So, Dragon Quest IX. It's been a while coming (understatement alert!), but Square Enix finally got around to throwing down a solid release date: March 28, 2009. As an interesting aside, you'll note if you look on a calendar that March 28, 2009 is a Saturday. Most - nay, nearly all - games come out on Thursdays in Japan. Dragon Quest is special. Why? Because if it was on a weekday, most of the country's workforce would skip the office that day to pick up their copy. I'm not even slightly joking.

However, the Dragon Quest fun doesn't stop there. During the event, series creator Yuuji Horii slipped up to proclaim the following:

"...Well, it might be time to start polishing up the concept for the next new thing. Since this one (referring to DQIX) was on a portable, the next one on something like the Wii would be nice... Wait, am I allowed to say that?"

Horii continued that the now enigmatic Dragon Quest X is indeed in development, but said that any further details are "a secret."

While not a 100% 'DQX on Wii' confirmation, its about as close as you can get.

(Quotes taken from the Famitsu report and translated from the original Japanese by yours truly.)

So that's a bit of megaton - for Japan at least. What are your thoughts on the matter?

UPDATE: Here, have a trailer for Dragon Quest IX. You may think you've seen this one before, but it's totally different because it has the new release date written at the end. Like I said: Totally different.

Dragon Quest IX Scans Show Some Skin

Whoa, that's some great alliteration going on there in the title. That wasn't even on purpose, man!

Anyways, via the latest issue of Jump, Square Enix has shown off a few saucy new characters for the upcoming (in Japan) Dragon Quest IX, along with some details on a few different classes that will be available for your character.

The lovely ladies presented in this scan (Roxanne, Rikka, and Ruida) are important supporting characters. In particular, Ruida (the girl in the red corset) is the owner of a bar, and will be integral in introducing you to other characters who can join up with you. (Roxanne and Rikka's roles are still a little ambiguous).

The classes revealed are (from left to right, top to bottom) mage, fighter, bandit (or theif, whichever you prefer), martial artist, and monk.



Dragon Quest IX: Hoshizora no Mamoribito will be available for Nintendo DS in Japan next March. No word on a North American or European release at this time.

Scan Catch-Up Deluge

Is it just me, or has this week felt pretty slow in terms of news? I guess there were a couple of games announced (probably most the notable being Devil Survivor), but things have just felt a little slower than normal. Maybe that's a good thing...

Anyways, below are a whole pile of RPG scans from the latest issues of Famitsu and Jump. They all surfaced today (as far as I know), so I'll just throw them all together here for your browsing interest.

Annie no Atelier: Serashima no Renkinjutsushi (Atelier Annie: Alchemist of Sera Island)
Nintendo DS
Gust
January 29, 2009 (Japan)



Chrono Trigger
Nintendo DS
Square Enix
November 20, 2008 (Japan), November 25, 2008 (North America)



Destiny Links
Nintendo DS
Namco Bandai
February 05, 2009 (Japan)



Dragon Quest IX: Hoshizora no Mamoribito (Guardians of the Starry Sky)
Nintendo DS
Level 5, Square Enix
March 2009 (Japan)



Gensou Suikouden Tierkreis (Suikoden Tierkreis)
Nintendo DS
Konami
December 18, 2008 (Japan)



The Last Remnant
Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
Square Enix
November 20, 2008 (Xbox 360, Worldwide), TBA (PlayStation 3, PC)




Ougon no Kizuna (Golden Bonds)
Nintendo Wii
Jaleco
Winter 2008/2009



Phantasy Star Zero
Nintendo DS
Sega
December 25, 2008 (Japan)



Rune Factory Frontier
Nintendo Wii
Marvelous
November 27, 2008



Lots of stuff here. I'll take translation requests in the comments.

Thanks to Gamekyo and RPGLand for the scans.

Better Quality Dragon Quest IX Trailer for the People

Maybe you watched the elusive leaked shaky cam trailer of the upcoming Dragon Quest IX and wondered if there was more to life than just shaky cam. Well, there is.

I don't know how this trailer came to fruition, as last I heard, this trailer is supposed to be for event attendees only. Either way though, someone has somehow posted a pretty-decent-quality version of the aforementioned DQIX trailer. I don't know if it's officially up, but being a lowly blogger, I don't really care.

Watch away and flip off The Man while you're at it.


Dragon Quest IX: Hoshizora no Mamoribito will be released on Nintendo DS in Japan sometime next March. There is currently no word on a North American or European release.

Dragon Quest IX Scan is... uh... a Scan?

Here is a scan for Dragon Quest IX from the latest issue of Shounen Jump.

Honestly, the Jump scans are always a little underwhelming for me. They mostly just do pictures with almost no content, and I'm afraid that this scan is no exception.

There is a little bit of information about character creation, party formation, and the battle system, so I will accept translation requests below in the comments.

Dragon Quest IX is expected to release in Japan sometime next March for Nintendo DS. There is currently no word on when it will be available in North America or Europe.

TGS 2008: Here is Your Leaked Dragon Quest IX Trailer

Due out sometime next March (supposedly), here is the leaked TGS trailer for the 1 million years in development Dragon Quest IX.



Looks cool for a Dragon Quest game, but did it really need to take this long?

Dragon Questing continues

Yes Gamers, it appears to be true! Not only are we receiving one dragon quest in the second half of 08, but two seem to be on the menu. As many of you may or may not know, earlier this week Dragon Quest IV was given an american release date (September 18, 2008). And once again all of us Dragon Quest fans had reason to rejoice, and parade through the streets for several mintues with SPF 60 slathered across our sun deprived skin (or at least I did). But the good news did not stop there, just recently Dragon Quest IX was also given an a fourth quater release date (November 20th, 2008).

These two annoucements are amazing, considering that Dragon Quest Monsters sold quite poorly in America. Compared to other Monster Catching games that sold more then 1.4 million copies in its first week in America (4 times the amount of units that DQ: monsters joker sold in its life time). Some speculated that we would not see all of the upcoming Dragon Quest games in America because of the lack of interest. So to see two Dragon Quest games releasing so close together is just awesome! And perhaps, considering the way that both sell, we'll also see the release of DQ V and DQ VI for DS, whos release dates, as of right now, are TBA.

Which Dragon Quest game are you more excited about? Are you waiting to once again unite the heros of Dragon Quest IV and once again save the world from impending doom? All the while selling over priced / under effective weapons to unspecting villagers as Taloon the merchant? Building your team and the story chapter by chapter?


Dragon Quest IV Trailer

Or are you excited for Dragon Quest IX? The newest installment in the Dragon Quest Games, with all new characters and an all new epic battle? Are you interested in the games' two new battle systems? Seemingly having a turn based battle system and an action rpg battle system some how added into the mix?


Dragon Quest IX Trailer

Personally, I can't wait for either! I'll be playing Dragon Quest IV right up to the second Dragon Quest IX is released! Happy Gaming!

Scamming NPCS!

~Giggity Gavin!