Dragon Quest 40th Anniversary: HD-2D Sales Hit 4 Million, Series Nears 100M, & DQ XII Reboots as Beyond Dreams

Square Enix marked four decades of Dragon Quest on May 27, 2026 with a compact 10-minute livestream that delivered a handful of significant updates for the franchise. Series creator Yuji Horii and executive producer Yosuke Saito took viewers through the latest sales milestones, platform details for recent releases, and a long-awaited—if sobering—status report on the next mainline game. Here is everything announced.

HD-2D Remakes Cross 4 Million Sales

The big commercial update during the stream concerned the Erdrick Trilogy remakes. Square Enix announced that combined worldwide shipments and digital sales for Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake and Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake have now passed 4 million units . The figure encompasses both games, and while the publisher did not provide a precise per-title split, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake had already individually surpassed 2 million copies sold . These are the best-ever launches for a single-player Dragon Quest title in the West, reflecting how the striking HD-2D visual style has broadened the series' audience beyond Japan.

Release Dates and Platforms for Every HD-2D Remake

The trilogy rolled out across a staggered schedule that wrapped up several months before the 40th anniversary stream. Here is where each game landed and when.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake launched on November 14, 2024 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store .

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, which completes the chronological narrative started by the third game's remake, arrived almost a year later on October 30, 2025 . Its platform list is even broader: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam, Microsoft Store). A dedicated Switch 2 version with graphics and performance options launched alongside the original Switch edition .

Players who want the complete package can also pick up the Dragon Quest Erdrick Trilogy Collection, a bundle of both remakes available on all the same platforms as the I & II release .

Franchise Total Sales Approach 100 Million

The stream reaffirmed a number that had been creeping up through spring 2026: the Dragon Quest series has now shipped more than 97 million units worldwide across all mainline and spin-off titles . That figure is up from over 95 million at the end of 2025 and more than 94 million in mid-2025, a trajectory that puts the 100-million milestone within reach .

For context, in the span of roughly five years the franchise has added some 15 million units to its lifetime tally—it stood at 82 million as of May 2021 and 85 million by March 2022 .

Dragon Quest XII Restarts Development, Gains a New Subtitle

The most consequential announcement—and the one likely to stir the most conversation—was the update on Dragon Quest XII. The game, originally announced as Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate during the 35th anniversary stream in 2021, has been officially retitled Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams .

More importantly, Horii and Saito confirmed that development was completely restarted at some point during the five years since the original reveal. The team made the decision to reboot the project in order to deliver a game that "all you fans of the series will really love," as Saito phrased it during the broadcast . The subtitle change reflects that reorientation.

The stream showed a brief trailer featuring the protagonist, supporting characters, and environmental shots, but no combat mechanics or gameplay systems were demonstrated . Square Enix did not announce any target platforms or release window for Beyond Dreams, and the tone of the presentation made clear the game is still years away.

What Else Was Announced

Alongside the mainline news, Square Enix revealed Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World, a new spin-off in the Monsters series. It is launching "soon" for PC, PS5, Switch, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X|S . The company also confirmed that a definitive Switch 2 version of Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age will release on September 24, 2026, adding updated graphics and performance modes .

No further remakes or remasters were announced during the 40th anniversary presentation, though speculation continues to swirl around potential HD-2D treatments for the Zenithian trilogy (Dragon Quest IV, V, and VI), given the commercial success of the Erdrick remakes.