News archive 2026

For news pertaining to another year, check our news archive.

July 24, 2026: New details on Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World have been provided by Square Enix. Bianca and Nera will have a new power: The Wrangler’s Spirit. This power can be used once per battle, and its effects are different depending on who unleashes it.
July 21, 2026: Square Enix announced a collaborative experience with Google Gemini called "Gemini Quest" which will allow visitors to generate an image of themselves casting a spell from the Dragon Quest series alongisde a monster using Google's generative AI. People who successfully use Google Gemini to create an AI image will be rewarded with a commemorative mini medal.
June 25, 2026: The first patch of the final story expansion of the MMO Dragon Quest X has released in Japan, titled "Dragon Quest X: Lost Children of Time and Space" (ドラゴンクエストX　時空の迷い子たち). This expansion, also known as Version 8, released alongside a collection containing the base game and it's seven expansions.
June 12, 2026: The North American side of Square Enix announced the opening of an officially licensed cafe in Los Angeles, California (USA). Visitors can enjoy food and drinks inspired by multiple Square Enix franchises such as Final Fantasy, Nier, or Dragon Quest, and purchase merchandise from these series. The cafe also has its own merchandise, featuring chocobos and slimes in Los Angeles.
May 27,2026: On this day, the Dragon Quest series turned 40. Yuji Horii and producer Yosuke Saito have revealed the first footage of Dragon Quest XII. The game has been completely retooled since its original announcement, with a new logo and subtitle. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World has also been announced, "coming soon" for all current-generation platforms and Microsoft Windows. Square Enix also revealed a Nintendo Switch 2 version of Dragon Quest XI.
May 26, 2026: Square Enix has announced that a 10-minute video titles "Update from the Dragon Quest Team" is set to be released on Dragon Quest Day, to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the series.
May 7, 2026: The original Dragon Quest game has been inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame alognside Konami's Silent Hill, EA's FIFA International Soccer and Rovio's Angry Birds.
April 15, 2026: Square Enix has announced the release date for Dragon Quest Smash/Grow: April 21st, 2026. The game will be available worldwide on iOS and Android. The company also released the opening movie for this game, made by renowned animation studio Kamikaze Douga.
March 24, 2026: Dragon Quest the Dive has been revealed. This new VR attraction is part of the 40th anniversary celebrations of the series and will be available for a limited time in Tokyo (Japan), between July 17th and September 6th.
March 21, 2026: Square Enix has announced that "Version 8" will conclude the main story of Dragon Quest X. The company has also announced their intention to add an AI chatbot powered by Google Gemini into the game.
March 17, 2026: The pre-registration for Dragon Quest Smash/Grow on iOS and Android begins.
February 24, 2026: Japanese publisher Shogakukan published a biographical manga about the life and work of Dragon Quest series creator Yuji Horii.
February 5, 2026: Dragon Quest VII Reimagined releases worldwide on PC, PS5, Switch, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X|S.
January 7, 2026: The demo for Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is released.; Square Enix shared the updated sales figures for the Dragon Quest series: Up to this day, the series has shipped more than 95 million units worldwide. Dragon Quest XI has shipped over 9 million units on its own.
January 5, 2026: Dragon Quest VII Reimagined's opening cinematic has been released, alongside the announcement of a demo to be made available on January 7th. Save data can be carried into the full game, and players who complete the demo will receive a special costume for Maribel.