Why the Dragon Quest 7 Remake Will Release Before IV, V, and VI
Square Enix surprised fans by announcing Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, a full 3D remake, during the September 2025 Nintendo Direct. The original game was released for the PlayStation 1, and later there was also a 3D remake on the 3DS, but this new version will include several improvements and censorship updates.
So far, Square Enix seems to be remaking all the Dragon Quest games, following last year’s release of the Dragon Quest III remake, and this year the remakes of Dragon Quest I and II are scheduled for release.
This remake comes before Dragon Quest IV, V, and VI, raising the question: why was Dragon Quest 7 prioritized? According to the series creator, Yuji Horii, this does not mean that the other remakes are not in development.
Yuji Horii Explains the Priority of Dragon Quest 7
During the latest episode of the talk show KosoKoso Hōsō Kyoku, hosted by Horii and former Shonen Jump editor Kazuhiko Torishima, the question was clarified. Around the 44-minute mark of the broadcast, Torishima asked why Dragon Quest 7 is receiving a remake before Dragon Quest IV, V, and VI.
Horii replied:
“There are various projects in progress, it’s just that VII happened to be completed first.”
His statement suggests that other remakes in the series are also in development. They are releasing VII before the remakes of IV, V, and VI simply because it was the closest to completion, with no other reason.
Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined features fully 3D graphics, unlike the HD-2D style used in the remakes of games I, II, and III. It’s worth noting that the most recent game in the series, Dragon Quest XI, was released in 2017, and Dragon Quest XII was announced in 2021, but we still have no news about it.
It was also explained why remakes are being released while the new game is not yet available: developing new games takes years nowadays, so remakes are launched to generate revenue in the meantime.
However, it’s exciting to know that we can practically expect remakes of all Dragon Quest titles. The eighth game in the series is one of the most beloved, but personally, Dragon Quest V is the one that sparks the most curiosity.