Fans of the legendary Dragon Quest series can breathe a sigh of relief as Yuji Horii, the mastermind behind the franchise, has confirmed that Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate is far from being canceled. Announced amidst the 35th anniversary festivities in 2021, this installment marks the first mainline entry since the acclaimed Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age in 2017. Since its announcement, updates have been scarce, with the last significant word from Horii coming in February, stating that the development team at Square Enix was diligently at work and that information would be shared gradually.

True to his word, updates have been minimal, but in a recent interview with Gamereactor, Horii reassured fans that the project is still on track. "Yes, indeed, I can't say anything, I apologize," he remarked, emphasizing his dedication, "I am making it, putting lots of work into it... I can only say that the next work will be great too, [I'm] working really hard. Please look forward to it is the only thing I can say." While not as concrete as a trailer or screenshots, this statement should alleviate concerns amidst the silence.

All we have of Dragon Quest 12 is this logo, released in 2021.

This reassurance comes at a crucial time, as the gaming community had been buzzing with worries over the project's fate, especially given the restructuring at Square Enix and a lack of updates. In May 2024, Horii also acknowledged the passing of Dragon Quest character designer Akira Toriyama and composer Koichi Sugiyama, which added to the uncertainty. Furthermore, the series’ lead producer Yu Miyake had already transitioned to lead Square Enix’s mobile game division, adding another layer of change to the development landscape.