Square Enix Wants to Localize Dragon Quest VII & X but Can’t

Today, Dragon Quest X was released on 3DS, a version of the MMO that interacts perfectly with the previous Wii, Wii U, and Windows versions. Last year, Square Enix released a remake of Dragon Quest VII for 3DS in Japan, leaving Dragon Quest VIII as the only title in the main series that hasn't yet appeared on a Nintendo handheld. Both games have been quite successful in their home country, but despite that, Square Enix has not announced plans to bring them overseas.

Yet the company claims that it would love to.

At PAX last weekend, Siliconera was able to chat with Dragon Quest executive producer Yuu Miyake and mobile producer Noriyoshi Fujimoto, using this opportunity to ask about possible localizations. Regarding VII, Fujimoto replied:

In terms of DQVII, it has a lot of text to go through and translate, and we’ve received so many requests and so much positive feedback about the game, but unfortunately, we have to consider the cost and the manpower needed to handle the sheer load of text. In terms of scenario and script, the game is probably one of the largest in the DQ franchise. If a lot of people can buy it and support it… well, we can’t promise anything.

As for X, Miyake responded:

In terms of this being an MMO, again, we have to consider the operation and logistics of how to make that feasible. We also have to think about it from a business standpoint. With Final Fantasy XI and XIV, it’s a global-scale endeavor. In terms of Dragon Quest, the way it’s perceived in the different countries is very, very different. How it’s perceived in Japan is different than how it’s perceived in the United States.

It's unfortunate that the company is thinking this way considering how every other major Dragon Quest title was brought over. In recent years, Nintendo even helped to publish and promote the games outside of Japan, but that partnership seems to have fizzled following the poor Western performance of a number of spin-off titles. Would Nintendo be willing to take on the task again?

Even more unfortunate is that back in March, Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda expressed a renewed interest in bringing JRPGs to the West following the global success of Bravely Default. Did that interest wane before it had a chance to bear fruit?

Hopefully this story has a happy ending for patient Dragon Quest fans worldwide.