Yuji Horii, the iconic creator of the Dragon Quest series, has revealed his intentions to continue overseeing the JRPG franchise until his death. Now at 71 years old, Horii has been involved in every installment since the release of the first game in 1986, and he considers the series to be his “child.” In an interview with Game Informer, he stated: “In recent years, I have started to rely more on other members to work on parts of the Dragon Quest titles. But still, I want to remain involved to oversee everything. I really love it.”
The series is like a child to him
The designer and video game director aims to witness the 50th anniversary of Dragon Quest in 2036, the year he will be 82 years old, which raises the possibility that he will continue his creative work in the franchise. Throughout his career, Horii has shown that he remains an influential and relevant figure in the video game industry, recalling the success of Dragon Quest XI, one of the most acclaimed JRPGs in recent years.
Horii and his team at Armor Project are currently working on Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate, announced in 2021; however, updates on the game have been scarce. Horii has assured that the team is putting considerable effort into the game’s development and has expressed confidence that it will be “great”. While fans are hoping for more details, the creator has promised that the next title will focus on improving the player experience, addressing one of the most criticized aspects of the original: the time needed to reach the first battle.
In this context, Horii continues to reaffirm his commitment to the series, which promises an exciting future for Dragon Quest, one of the most beloved franchises in the world of video games.
