Dragon Quest Creator Says New Game Will Capture the Series' 'Unmistakable Feeling'

The Dragon Quest series has taken players on countless journeys over the past four decades. Next year, fans will be able to embark on a new Dragon Quest adventure using their smartphones with the launch of Dragon Quest RPG The Cursed Tree and The Chosen Isle.

RPGs come in all shapes and forms, but if you're looking for an old-school turn-based JRPG, Square Enix is taking Dragon Quest back to its origins with a classic adventure in Dragon Quest RPG The Cursed Tree and The Chosen Isle. Wright Flyer Studios, a Japanese developer known for smartphone games such as the Another Eden series and Heaven Burns Red, is developing the mobile title.

In this next installment in the Dragon Quest series, players will fight monsters and explore the land as they rebuild Yyghaven, after a goddess named Belusha entrusts them with the sacred branch of a tree. To succeed, they must lead a party into hundreds of turn-based battles, hone their fighting skills and powers, and build a secure home base where they make weapons and cook with ingredients they find in the overworld. Based on the trailer, the main side characters are called Theodore and Etica.

Dragon Quest creator reminds player that this will be a classic RPG

Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii has expressed his excitement for the launch of Dragon Quest RPG The Cursed Tree and The Chosen Isle. While few details are known about the game, Horii's words imply that this will be a traditional Dragon Quest game, unlike the franchise's other mobile ventures. Horii said that the game's goal is to "capture that unmistakable Dragon Quest feeling" that comes with "exploring towns, meeting new allies, gearing up and steadily growing stronger," which is why they put "RPG" in the name. As he puts it, Dragon Quest RPG is "the same classic adventure, brought to your smartphone." And who better to claim this than the series creator himself?

Dragon Quest RPG The Cursed Tree and The Chosen Isle is in development and is expected to release in 2027. A closed beta test will take place from Dec. 8 through Dec. 15, so players can get a feel for Dragon Quest RPG and provide feedback that will be vital to its improvement.

Square Enix is accepting applications for the closed beta test on the Dragon Quest RPG website until Nov. 23 at 9:59 a.m. EDT. Up to 25,000 players will be selected to participate in the closed beta testing for Dragon Quest RPG. Entry will be granted using a lottery system. The minimum requirements to play Dragon Quest RPG are:

- iOS 15.0 / iPhone 11 / 4 GB RAM

- Android 9.0 / 64-bit device / Snapdragon 855 / 6 GB RAM

However, for better performance, the iPhone 14 with 6 GB RAM or an Android 13.0 device with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 — or better — is recommended.