Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate will change combat and have a darker tone

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The Flames of Fate will also launch simultaneously around the world

Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate
(Image credit: Square Enix)

Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate has been revealed, and it looks set to switch things up for the long-running RPG series.

Just below, you can check out the full livestream dedicated to the 35th anniversary of Square Enix's franchise, where Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate was revealed. 

Right now, the new entry doesn't have a release date or specified platforms, but legendary series producer Yuji Horii revealed that it'll see some changes to the traditional turn-based battle system, and that Dragon Quest 12 will feature a darker tone to past games.

Additionally, Horii revealed that Dragon Quest 12 will aim for a simultaneous worldwide launch. This is surely a relief to western fans, and follows hot on the heels of Yakuza series developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio also putting a focus on simultaneous worldwide releases for their new games, such as the forthcoming Lost Judgment.

Aside from Dragon Quest 12 as the headline reveal, the special Dragon Quest 35th Anniversary Special had a few more reveals. Firstly, there was the unveiling of the Dragon Quest 3 2D-HD Remake, a forthcoming remake of the NES classic that's sprucing up the classic 90s game with a fresh coat of paint. If you've played Square Enix's Octopath Traveller, you'll be familiar with Dragon Quest 3 2D-HD Remake's new art style.

Next up was Dragon Quest Treasures. Like Dragon Quest 12, we know precious little about this new game so far, but we at least know that it's a spin-off game from the main Dragon Quest series, retaining that classic turn-based RPG formula, while putting the focus squarely on hunting for treasures.

There was also the reveal of a new mobile puzzle game, called Dragon Quest Keshikeshi (which roughly translates to "Dragon Quest Erase Erase"). Unlike the other games shown off so far Keshikeshi is exclusive to Japan right now, and it's actually a match-three puzzle game.

Finally, on the extensive list of announcements, was a new expansion for the Japan-exclusive Dragon Quest 10, as well as Dragon Quest 10 Offline. The latter is a new version of the popular online game that's played from the top-down perspective, and as you can probably tell from the name, doesn't require a permanent internet connection.

The Dragon Quest series is going from strength to strength, with the five new game reveals arriving alongside the news that the series had surpassed 82 million units in global sales. That's a staggering feat for any franchise, and it's nice to see Dragon Quest having this resurgence of late, considering it first launched all the way back in 1986.

Right now, you can experience the epic Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S. The upgraded version of the RPG is available on Xbox Game Pass, and the Dragon Quest Twitter account has recently been hinting that even more games from the longstanding series could be making their way to the subscription service.

Head over to our best RPG games guide to see if any entries from Square Enix's series made it into our list.

Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.