Dragon Quest 7 is the next entry in the storied JRPG series to receive a remake. Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, a "handcrafted" retelling of the PS1 classic, was announced at today's Nintendo Direct September live show. It's coming to Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on February 5, 2026.
Details on the Dragon Quest 7 remake are still a bit thin – its dedicated website is, annoyingly, down at the time of writing – but we do know it's taken a cue from the art style of Dragon Quest 11, whereas recent retro Dragon Quest remakes adopted the HD-2D style seen in the likes of Octopath Traveler.
The Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake duo pack is out soon on October 30. We played them and spoke to the developers earlier this month.
In a blog post, Square Enix explains that Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined "features a new hand-crafted visual aesthetic that brings the world and its characters to life like never before" alongside "revamped battle mechanics and quality-of-life features make the game feel fresh and modern."
"The story has also been significantly streamlined," the company says, while "still maintaining the narrative depth the game is known for." One key combat detail emerges elsewhere: you'll see enemies in the field, and you can either bump into them to start a battle or attack weaker enemies to instantly kill them, Metaphor: ReFantazio-style.
Standard combat remains classically turn-based, but new combinations of classes – Vocations, rather – are possible thanks to a new "Moonlighting" feature that lets party members equip up to two Vocations. Each Vocation has a special perk, and Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined introduces some new Vocations and perks like Monster Master and its "Positive Reinforcement" perk, "which summons powerful monsters to attack your foes."
"As well as automatically defeating weaker foes, you can also set tactics for your protagonist and allies, so they battle to a particular strategy without the need for direct command," Square Enix says. Additionally, combat has a fast-forward function.
A message from producer Takeshi Ichikawa reads: "DRAGON QUEST 7 Reimagined not only 'reimagines' the visual and emotional portrayal of its characters, but also makes the game's story significantly more approachable and accessible.
"So, whether you enjoyed DRAGON QUEST 7 on its original release, struggled to collect all the tablets, or are just experiencing the DRAGON QUEST series for the first time, we believe this game will provide a satisfying experience."
Way back in 2000 (or 2001 outside Japan), Dragon Quest 7 told the story of a hero exploring the Estard islands. It reviewed pretty well at launch, with many players and critics praising the scope of the game. In combat and classes, it was pretty archetypal Dragon Quest, but exploration played out in a wider-reaching system tied to collectible stone shards, large separate areas, and various means of traversing the world.
Dragon Quest 7 was originally published back when we only had Enix around, so this reimagining brings us full circle under Square Enix.
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