Square Enix is preparing for Dragon Quest XI to be a monster hit for the aging Nintendo 3DS and the bursting PlayStation 4. The series has a long history of destroying the competition at the Japanese market, which also means that competitors are preparing for Dragon Quest XI to be a monster hit, as well.
President & CEO of Kadokawa Hirokazu Hamamura believes nothing is going to stop this game from going off. At a recent seminar called “The Present Conditions and Prospects of the Game Industry,” Hamamura claimed that the game will defy even Japan’s own lofty ambitions and ultimately outsell both Pokémon Sun and Moon and Final Fantasy XV combined.
The ‘destructive force’ that is Dragon Quest software (sales) is on a completely different level. There will likely be people who buy both PS4 and 3DS versions as well
For this to happen, Dragon Quest XI will have to sell a grand total of 5 million copies on the Japanese market. Pokémon Sun and Moon sit nicely at 4 million copies, and Final Fantasy XV launched to a respectable 1 million, meaning over 5 million games total.
Mobile entries help bring in the kids
This a lofty goal in today’s mobile-focused gaming industry in Japan, but it’s not entirely out of reason. Dragon Quest VII, VIII, and IX all managed to crack 4 million units on their initial runs in the country, and Dragon Quest XI happens to have two different versions coming out. If players double dip on the 3DS, which is still popular, and the PlayStation 4, which is just finding more footing, or even triple dip on the Nintendo Switch build later in the year, 5 million copies sold is doable.
Dragon Quest also has hit mobile games like Dragon Quest of the Stars to help lure in the younger generation. For many kids, this might be their first main Dragon Quest game, but not their firstDragon Quest game in general.
Again, 5 million is a very liberal gamble here, especially when AAA games struggle to sell that much in the Western world. Decapitating Final Fantasy and Pokémon in one fell swoop is also a goal not many would set. Given the series’ proven history, though, Dragon Quest XI might just resonate enough with all generations to pull it off.
We’ll see when it launches for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo 3DS on July 29. The Nintendo Switch version is due later in the year.
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