3DS Version Not Coming to the West
Square Enix will finally release Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age on September 4th in North America and Europe for the PS4 and PC via Steam. A pair of new trailers has been released which you can view below.
IGN was able to confirm that the planned Nintendo Switch version will not be released in 2018 but at a “much later” date and the 3DS version (which was released in Japan) won’t be coming to the west at all.
The PS4 version can be pre-ordered from the PlayStation Store starting today. Players will receive an exclusive theme instantly upon pre-ordering, along with in-game DLC for when the game launches.
Dragon Quest 11 is the next entry in the popular and long-running RPG series. In addition to delivering over 100 hours of gameplay, the localized US version adds several upgrades and enhancements over the original Japanese version including:
- English Voiceover
- Draconian Quest, a hard mode that offers additional challenges for more experienced players.
- Overhauled Menus & UI, with graphical enhancements and more intuitive navigation.
- Camera Mode, allowing players to take in views of the beautiful landscape, character renders and ferocious monsters in detail.
- A New Dash Function and many other system enhancements such as improved character and camera movement
This will be the first time PC players will get to play a mainline Dragon Quest in the west. Nintendo fans, however, will need to wait much longer. As mentioned above, the 3DS version won’t be coming to the west at all. In Japan, the 3DS version is a remake of the Japanese PS4 version that includes pixel art and 3D visuals.
“Our aim with Dragon Quest XI and the Dragon Quest brand is to grow the audience in the West,” Square Enix said, in a statement to IGN. “From a business point of view, it made strategic sense to release the 3DS version in Japan in 2017. For the West in 2018, it made the most sense to focus on the PlayStation 4 and PC (Steam) platforms.”Â
When speaking about the Switch version, Square Enix makes it sound like its a long ways away. “We are also developing the Switch version for Europe and North America,” reads Square Enix’s statement, “but development is expected to take a long time from a technological standpoint as well, so we still have a long way to go until its release.”
Dragon Quest XIÂ has already earned itself multiple awards and critical acclaim from Famitsu, which scored the game a perfect 40/40.
SOURCE: Press Release