Square Enix is significantly restructuring its development processes to release major franchise installments more frequently. This is according to the latest financial report, in which the company confirms "steady progress" in optimizing its internal pipelines. The goal is to significantly reduce the current six- to seven-year wait times between major titles.
The restructuring is part of a long-term plan to shift the focus from sheer quantity of releases to higher quality. Previously, Square Enix often filled the gaps between major blockbusters with smaller projects, remasters, and spin-offs.
This strategy is now being adapted to allow for more efficient production of the flagship series. At the same time, management is accelerating the transition to a consistent multi-platform strategy. Exclusive deals, such as those often held with Sony for Final Fantasy in the past, are therefore likely to become less frequent.
The current figures demonstrate the necessity of this change. Seven years passed between Final Fantasy XV (2016) and Final Fantasy XVI (2023). The situation is similar with Dragon Quest: the eleventh installment was released in 2017, while its successor, "Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate," has offered hardly any concrete details since its announcement in May 2021. These lengthy development cycles tie up enormous resources and, in the event of a lack of success, carry a high financial risk.
Dragon Quest 12: Signs of life on May 27th
Concrete news about Dragon Quest 12 could be imminent. Series creator Yuji Horii kündigt to A livestream is scheduled for May 27th, which will focus on the "next game" in the series. Following the personnel turmoil in April 2025 – including the resignation of long-time producer Yu Miyake – this is the first major sign of progress in development.
The technical foundation for the twelfth installment is designed for modern hardware. It's expected that the title will be released simultaneously for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. A version for the Nintendo Switch successor is also rumored. Horii already mentioned the console as potentially compatible back in May 2025, but remained tight-lipped due to Nintendo's secrecy at the time.
For buyers, the realignment primarily means less waiting time for the "big" names. The move away from exclusive titles is also a boon for owners of Xbox and Nintendo hardware, who in the past often had to wait years for ports or missed out entirely. However, the crucial question remains whether the promised "quality over quantity" can actually be maintained with shorter cycles, or whether the pressure on development teams will come at the expense of polish.
As long as Dragon Quest remains Turn Based, I'll be happy. I already abandoned Final Fantasy because it went action based, and I won't hesitate to do the same with DQ if they make that decision. Look how terribly the last few Final Fantasy games have done – had they remained Turn Based, they would have had a much larger audience.
Perhaps Square should bring back other franchises like Parasite Eve, Nier Automata, or their own fighting game in the Final Fantasy universe, but with a better combat system than Diss Dea. Square doesn't lack interesting characters, but rather the execution. We'll see; maybe Square can generate hype again when Final Fantasy VII Part 3 and Tifa in Final Fantasy VI are released. Otherwise, Square is a dead publisher in my book; they can't create new titles that generate hype beyond catering to nostalgia.