Dragon Quest series creator Yuji Horii has confirmed an NX release for the latest game in the series, Dragon Quest XI: In Search of Departed Time.
The news comes via an upcoming issue of Nintendo Dream, which features an interview with Horii, along with Pokémon series producer Junichi Masuda, and Super Smash Bros. series director Masahiro Sakurai.
During the interview, Horii confirms an NX version of Dragon Quest XI. The news comes after Horii initially confirmed an NX version during the announcement of the game, before Square-Enix retracted that statement by saying that the NX was only under consideration.
Now, Horii suggests that three version – NX, 3DS, and PlayStation 4 – will be released simultaneously to avoid spoilers. This could mean an earlier release for the game than anticipated, with an NX version due in March 2017, despite the previously announced May 2017 release date for the other two systems.
Will you pick up Dragon Quest XI for the NX? Let us know your thoughts on this confirmation below.
The English translation of the interview is below.
Masahiro Sakurai: Well then, I would like to ask about each of your new games. First, Dragon Quest XI. The 11th installment in the series will be released simultaneously on Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation 4, and including NX it’s coming out on three platforms, right?
Yuji Horii: That’s right. The use of hardware is different for each system, so it’s quite a challenge.
Sakurai: Thank you for working so hard.
Horii: However, we’re making the 3DS version in both 3D and 2D. I asked my staff, “Is that something we can do?” And they said, “We’ll do it.” So we decided, “then let’s do it.”
Junichi Masuda: I get the feeling that means there will be four versions across three platforms then, yeah?
Horii: That’s right. There are a lot of difficulties because of that. Each one has a different look to it, and there’s also a PlayStation 4 version, so if we make a small fix then we have to fix it across every version.
Sakurai: I see. Including things like the release date, it gets dreadful when development is inevitably drawn out and the debugging piles up… But you’re not going to shift the release date and release them apart from each other, right? Since Dragon Quest games are story-driven.
Horii: That’s right. Spoilers will emerge if we release one version earlier. (Laughs.) However, we’re a little concerned about the sense of distance in movement. It’s different for each of the supported hardware.
Sakurai: Oh, is that so?
Horii: The movement in the 2D of the 3DS version, and the movement in the 3D of the 3DS version and the PlayStation 4 version definitely feels different when it’s in action. However, there are concerns when making several versions at the same time, and to that extent it’s difficult, so we’re making the game to the best of our ability.
Sakurai: I made Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U at the same time, but it was nevertheless difficult. Since you’re making it for hardware from different companies, I would think that it’s even more difficult, so please by all means do your best.
Horii: Indeed. All of the staff is working very hard, so please look forward to it.
Source: Gematsu
