GamesRadar - Dragon Quest IX

Dragon Quest IX to hit Japan in March (News)

Oct 1, 2008

The Japanese gaming gurus over at Famitsu have confirmed in their latest issue that Dragon Quest IX isn't in development hell as many feared, and is actually nearing completion, ready for a March 2009 release.

Dragon Quest IX to hit the Stage at TGS (News)

Sep 26, 2008

Dragon Quest IX has been quiet for some time now, the silence in the development proving painful for some and exciting for others - those who hoped development for the Nintendo DS would prove too difficult so that the game would shift back to a more traditional system.

It looks like that isn't the case, though, as Square-Enix will be holding a "Dragon Quest Special Stage Event" on 11th October between 1 and 2:30pm. At this event they're set to announce the latest news about DQIX, including the most anticipated information - a Japanese release date.

Breaking: Dragon Quest IX coming early 2009 (News)

Sep 18, 2008

Square Enix boss Yoichi Wada was interviewed by Jiji Press and stated that "The next Dragon Quest title will be released early next year".

Dragon Quest IX actually coming out in 2008? (News)

Sep 8, 2008

Siliconera writes: "A game like Dragon Quest IX usually has a prelude of previews months before it launches. We haven't heard Square Enix or Level 5 say much about the game and supposedly it's coming out sometime this year. Square Enix's TGS 2008 page for Dragon Quest IX sticks the title with a 2008 release window and there aren't many months left in the year."

Bloomberg: Square Enix Advances After Cosmo Upgrades Game Maker (News)

Jun 3, 2008

Bloomberg writes: "Square Enix Co. rose in Tokyo trading after Cosmo Securities Co. lifted its rating on Japan's third- largest video-game maker to ''neutral plus.''

The shares added 60 yen, or 1.9 percent, to close at 3,210 yen on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, after advancing as much as 6 percent.

The company's Dragon Quest 9 title, released for the Nintendo DS portable game player in November, will produce 20 billion yen ($190 million) in revenue from 5 million units sold in Japan, Cosmo Securities analyst Takashi Oka wrote in a Japanese-language report dated yesterday.

''It's not surprising Dragon Quest 9 for the portable console sold twice as many units as a version for stationary game machines,'' Ota wrote."

Dragon Quest IX coming this year, FF Agito XIII might be cancelled (News)

May 25, 2008

Square Enix held a shareholders meeting two days ago which discussed the financial status of the company during fiscal year 2008. Game Watch have posted an article that gives us more in-depth details on what was said:

- Wada says Dragon Quest IX is coming this fiscal year, but the game still doesn't have a release date. He also said the DS is a great choice for the game, and thinks it may sell up to 10 million copies.

- Wada says that due to 3 billion yen in losses, the company has cancelled a "revolutionary mobile development". The project is rumored to be Final Fantasy Agito XIII or Parasite Eve 3.

Dragon Quest IX coming to the U.S. in November (News)

May 23, 2008

Destructoid Writes: When Square Enix announced that the Zenithia trilogy would be coming stateside, responses seemed mixed: among the shouts of joy were a few lonely curmudgeons wondering if a release date for Dragon Quest IX: Protectors of the Starry Sky had finally been announced. Disappointed, they returned to their humble caves to eat rats and poke at the ground with sticks.

Rumor: Dragon Quest IX ships November 20 (News)

May 23, 2008

Known gaming website 1UP.com has posted an article about Dragon Quest IV's arrival to North America, but the most interesting part in it was actually about Dragon Quest IX. The final paragraph featured the following text:

"With all that Dragon Quest going around, you've got to wonder if Square Enix might not be risking a little Japanese RPG burnout by the time Dragon Quest IX: Protectors of the Starry Sky hits town on November 20."

It might be just pure speculation by the editor, but perhaps they know something we don't.

Level-5 Aims for Dragon Quest IX in 2008 (News)

Feb 15, 2008

Square Enix may be unwilling to commit to a final release date for Dragon Quest IX, but developer Level-5's president may have just done the deed himself. Akihiro Hino said that his goal for 2008 is to finish work on White Knight Chronicles, Inazuma Eleven, the third Professor Layton game, and Dragon Quest IX.

Yoichi Wada: Dragon Quest IX nearly finished (News)

Feb 1, 2008

After a long time we did not hear anything about Dragon Quest IX, Yoichi Wada, current president of Square Enix, has revealed that the game is "nearly finished" in an interview with Bloomberg News.

This means North American DS gamers might still be able to play Dragon Quest IX this year.

simExchange: Nintendo is Changing the Industry (News)

Jan 9, 2008

A report today from Jesse Divnich at the simExchange says Nintendo has turned casual games and gamers into the primary forces driving the videogame industry. Using data from the holiday 2007 shopping season, the firm said that one factor in the industry's growth has been a larger-than-expected next-generation adoption rate among casual gamers. (GameDaily, 01/09/08)

Famitsu's Most Wanted Top 20, Dragon Quest Dominates (News)

Oct 15, 2007

Dragon Quest dominates the top twenty in four different positions, not including missionary, Monster Hunter 3 makes its debut under the Wii name.

Square Enix TGS Lineup (News)

Sep 3, 2007

Square Enix's Tokyo Game Show lineup, announced today in Tokyo, is full of surprises, both good and bad. It turns out, for instance, that Dragon Quest IX will be shown, although in video form only. Also surprising is the video-only showing of The Last Remnant. That game appeared to be far enough along at the Square Enix Party earlier this year that IGN was expecting a playable debut.

DQIX gets pushed back to 2008 (News)

Aug 27, 2007

Those of you who've been eagerly awaiting Square Enix's latest title on the DS will have to wait extra long, as the company has announced that Dragon Quest IX has been delayed until 2008. The reason for delaying the game? Square Enix apparently needs to improve the quality of the game, but DSFanboy is going on machine translation, so it isn't the best.

PS3, 360 too high-spec, says Square boss (News)

Jun 12, 2007

Publishers and developers can no longer focus on a single format, according to Yoichi Wada, chief executive of Square Enix. He goes on to say that the technicalities of the new consoles hugely limit their appeal. "In the old days, we could just focus on the PlayStation or the GameBoy, but the environment has changed completely," says Wada, who believes that developers need to focus on making games that also cater to "a new breed of gamers.” Discussing Square's shock decision to shift ...

Dragon Quest IX to Sell 5 Million, Remakes Confirmed (News)

May 24, 2007

Square Enix surprised everyone by announcing that Dragon Quest IX would be coming to the Nintendo DS, let alone in 2007, but the company has high hopes for the game. Revealed today was how Square Enix could well sell five million copies of Dragon Quest IX, already the most anticipated game of the year, which would make it the biggest ever in the series, following the PSone's Dragon Quest VII and Dragon Quest VIII on the PS2. However, if remakes and re-releases are included, Square Enix states that the actual best seller is Dragon Quest III from the NES, with six million units sold so far since its original release in 1988. The series as a whole has now surpassed 41 million units as of 31st December, 2006.

In related news, CEO Yoichi Wada spoke in Japan lately and stated:

"This summer, we'll release Battle Road in arcades and Swords for the Wii. Following that, we're thinking of a release 9 once we've released remake versions and so forth."

Dragon Quest interview (Feature)

May 14, 2007

Thanks to the Square Enix Party 2007, we were lucky enough to sit down with Yuji Horii, the creator of the Dragon Quest series - the most popular series of RPGs in Japan (and no slouch in the US as well.) Here goes: GamesRadar: The Dragon Quest Monsters series has been continuing for several titles now, to the side of the main DQ series. What sets it apart from the main DQ series, and what does it bring to the table? Yuji Horii: Where Dragon Quest Monsters originated from was Dragon Quest V, ...

Dragon Quest IX (Screenshots)

May 12, 2007

Dragon Quest IX Tops Famitsu's Most Wanted. (News)

Apr 29, 2007

Dragon Quest IX Tops Famitsu Most Wanted, followed with 4 ps3 games. Final Fantasy XIII,Biohard 5(Resident Evil), Metal Gear Solid 4 and Monster Hunter.

Dragon Quest IX Battle System Revealed (News)

Apr 25, 2007

1up reports that the latest issue of Weekly Shonen Jump reveals that the combat system of Dragon Quest IX for the DS will retain the traditional turn-based system as opposed to a more action-oriented one suggested in earlier reports.

Enemies will be visible on the field, and players will enter into battle once in contact with them. Like Dragon Quest VIII, the battle will be presented in 3D with players selecting commands for attacking enemies, casting spells and others.

Dragon Quest IX will also be the first time players can customize their appearance including physical features such as your height, weight, face, hair as well as your costume.

Dragon Quest IX: Defenders of the Starry Sky (Preview)

Feb 2, 2007

2006 marked the 20th anniversary of the original Dragon Quest, and while Square Enix could have rested easy and watched the fan love-fest unfold, they instead dramatically announced a new installment, dropping an unexpected bombshell in the process. IX would be the first Dragon Quest installment to debut on a handheld console, and would do away with the turn-based battling that had up to this point defined the series and given it much of its unique appeal. ...

DS equips Dragon Quest IX (News)

Dec 12, 2006

Publisher/developer powerhouse Square Enix has announced that the next installment in its Dragon Quest RPG series is heading to Nintendo DS and will be released in 2007. Dragon Quest IX - which sports a roughly translated subtitle of "Defender of the Stars" - is being developed by Level 5, the people behind the previous PS2 exclusive Dragon Quest VIII, and will feature 3D adventuring, an action-focused battle system and will let up to four players join forces in co-op multiplayer. No further ...