Square Enix on why Dragon Quest hasn't been as popular as Final Fantasy in the west

Square Enix owns two big franchises: Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. Yet even though Final Fantasy managed to make a big splash in the west, Dragon Quest has still been trying to attain the same sort of success. Dragon Quest executive producer Yu Miyake touched on this topic in last month’s issue of EDGE.

[fenome]

That's because they haven't brought enough of them over. I'm sure XI is going to do just fine over here.

[jaymacx]

True and they don't hype it much here. FF games are very cinematic which is popular here. DQ is straight forward turn based RPG. I actually prefer DQ over the newer FF games. But the older FF were on par with DQ.

[_-EDMIX-_]

You could hype a game to oblivion and you could make it cinematic doesn't actually mean you're going to get Final Fantasy sales, in that same respect you could say this about even Western games that are very cinematic it doesn't necessarily mean you're going to beat GTA or Call of Duty you would actually have to consider that we have lots of games that are like that that don't even come near other games sales, it's not as simple as just being hyped or marketed a lot or having cinematics.

Tell that to titles like Mafia 3 that will never even touch Grand Theft Auto numbers.

[indysurfn]

I mean understatment. The only one they bought over on a popular console that I can remember for is the action rpg one, which is not what their fans are used to. Bring your main game over on consoles. Just like Handheld is dominate in Japan, consoles are dominate in the west.

Just like FFxiii outsold FFxv in Japan, and the west it is because if the game play style despite xv being hype for 10 years before release.

[NewMonday]

" ..if we’d put a lot of effort into localising Dragon Quest at the time, we probably wouldn’t be facing this issue today. I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but we kind of messed up in that regard"
yep!

[deathtok]

Lifelong Dragon Warrior/Quest fan here... all of the main entries have been released in the U.S. except for DQX (the MMO).

Granted V and VI were the DS remakes but even a bunch of the spin-offs have been released here too :)

[Tapani]

IV and V Remakes on PS1 and PS2 for the win! Some of the best Dragon Quest games ever, and best possible version.

[fenome]

Good to know, I never realised that. I've never owned a DS, so I've missed out on a bunch of their games.

[_-EDMIX-_]

I'm not sure bringing them it's going to suddenly make them more popular.

This is just one of those things where Final Fantasy will be like GTA or Call of Duty where it's just going to have that pop culture appeal phenomenon that I'm not really sure much RPGs are going to match.

[Relientk77]

Bring Dragon Quest 11 West, and you will see great sales

I want it day one

[PhoenixUp]

When DQXI does eventually get localized in the west I except it to sell about as much as mainline installments in Tales of, Xeno subseries, Atelier, Shin Megami Tensei, Fire Emblem, Suikoden, Star Ocean, Yakuza, Ni No Kuni, and even previous Dragon Quest typically sell in western markets.

[PhoenixUp]

Why would Dragon Quest suddenly start selling gangbusters in western markets like Final Fantasy, Pokémon, and Mario RPGs?

DQXI will do well in non-Japanese markets, but there's no reason to expect it to suddenly pull ahead of those other RPG franchises in the western regions.

[FallenAngel1984]

The relatively slow localization process is the greatest barrier for western gamers. Dragon Quest hasn't made great strides in trying to get western gamers on equal footing with eastern gamers like Final Fantasy has.

My favorite quote in this article is

"EDGE brought up how the design of Final Fantasy often changes and must deal with the risk of alienating fans whereas Dragon Quest’s challenge is maintaining a traditional experience while ensuring that players don’t become over-familiar with the formula."

[PhoenixUp]

I swear the exact topic of this article was posted on that website half a year ago.

http://nintendoeverything.c...

Either Nintendoeverything loves to drudge up repeated questions or Yu Miyake keeps getting asked the same question and gives out the same answer.

[Eonjay]

You are absolutely right

[ninsigma]

Dragon quest isn't a series I've played really (except for DQ heroes which got boring after a while and DQ builders demo which was fantastic and I'll likely pick that up at some point) but I would say it's because DQ, from what I know (I could be wrong) stays more in line with its own roots (so really the only people to jump in would be those who are already into those style games) while final fantasys combat system is ever evolving (meaning each final fantasy could tap into a potential sub section of the market that the previous installment didn't). Just my 2 cents.

Edit: But as Reliant above me said, absolutely bring DQ11 over the west. I think it'll do well if it's a good game.

[Yohshida]

Because its not westernized yet. Feels too much like a japanese game.

[Muzikguy]

You're kidding right? Why do people insist on making games out to be something they aren't? I'm not speaking for everyone, but I WANT Japanese style games. They can and should both exist. If you ask me, and I'm no genuis by any means, but if you ask me the BEST part about DQ games is that they've stayed true and haven't changed like FF games have. I strongly believe that they should continue this.

[Yohshida]

Cool Story, but they ask why its not as popular in the west like FF. And you answered it yourself. They still stay true to the old formula, which is something people in the west dont really like.

[bluefox755]

DQ always seemed more quirky, cutesy, and "Asiany". Not a bad thing, mind you, but I can see how it would be less popular in the west, compared to Final Fantasy.

[cash_longfellow]

Because they aren't on consoles...handhelds aren't as popular here.

[FallenAngel1984]

Every DQ game except DQIX has been on consoles

[indysurfn]

wii Ironically the only DQ on PS4 and xbox one I can remember is the action based one, Dragon quest Heros the trees woes and might below!

[deathtok]

It's an even split for the series where the handheld stuff is more recent. DQXI will be on both! :)

Console (6):

Dragon Warrior 1-4 (NES)
Dragon Warrior VII (PS)
Dragon Quest VIII (PS2)

Handheld (6):

Dragon Quest 4-6 Remakes (DS)
Dragon Quest IX (DS)
Dragon Quest VII Remake (3DS)
Dragon Quest VIII Remake (3DS)

[Fist4achin]

Dude, a true DQ hasn't appeared on a home console now for 2 generations. Thats a long time figuring it's pushing 15 years now. I believe DQ Heroes did well, so hopefully that will push them for more releases here. I wish DQ8 remake was on the consoles other than a handheld and they would have picked up another sale from me, but I don't have a 3ds. If they elect to stay exclusive to Nintendo, they will lose more sales...

[vergilxx3]

Cuz almost every good dragon quest is not leaving japan ??

[r3f1cul]

because you never release any of the damn games west!!! except on portable devices and nintendo related consoles ... and nintendo has next to no market share in the west compared to ps4 and xbone... release a proper DQ on consoles and jrpg fans will gobble that shit up guaranteed ... its just like them saying stuff about kingdom hearts when all they did is release it on portable platforms... the reason stuff doesnt see numbers is because of your stupid decisions and marketing :/

[franwex]

This right here! Start releasing them proplery! Last big Dragon Quest game on a home console was PS2!

[OtakuDJK1NG-Rory]

Nintendo did all the releases on DS and 3DS. Square Enix didn't try to localize them. So yes Square Enix US/EU is too lazy to do work themselves cause it's not FF. Now they wanna do it because PS4 sales but is it working? They haven't said anything about how well it's doing.

[andrewsquall]

Because all they've done the last 10 years is bring the older games over to mobile and portable consoles. There was no effort to bring out a genuine, real, current gen console, new game since VIII. They are FINALLY rectifying this with XI.

[jholden3249]

Because people in the west only buy what's popular, and Final Fantasy (good as it may be) is the west's token JRPG. There are far better JRPG's (Lost Odyssey, Dragon Quest, Xenoblade) yet they all struggle just to crack 1 million sold. Dragon Quest still does good numbers in Japan though.

[InTheZoneAC]

because it's not on consoles here. I would've bought all of them if they were for ps3/ps4...

[phoenixwing]

I think it's because they haven't been releasing console versions and relying on portables and phones. I know for a fact I would have bought them if they'd released some games on the ps3 and now I will buy the one they release on the ps4.

[TheColbertinator]

DQ will never match FF in the west.

However SE needs to promote it properly. They've technically released no DQ games in the west on launch

[FallenAngel1984]

Pokémon is the only other JRPG that can exceed Final Fantasy in sales in the west. For any other JRPG franchise to even match FF is no easy feat

[vork77]

I always buy a new dragon quest D:

[Muzikguy]

So they have all the answers then? I sure hope they don't focus too much on the sales of FF with DQ. It would be the same kind of mistake as when other companies try be the next COD. Just concentrate on your game and make it great. Stop focusing on others and trying to be like others.

[Servbot41]

I can tell you right now the two reasons:
One - The formula hasn't changed in 30 years, and while this is fine for some, it wouldn't hurt to spice things up. Just make sure it stays a turn-taking JRPG.
Two - It's been on a handheld since eight. Nobody I know wants to spend a hundred hours staring at a handheld playing a JRPG. Nobody. Luckily 11 solves this issue.

[OtakuDJK1NG-Rory]

Waiting for my older brother to finish Dragon Quest VII so I can start before Dragon Quest VIII comes out this month on the 3DS

[iofhua]

I've never seen a copy of it available in a store before. Ever. I've only heard of and seen it online.

Doing a search on Amazon, I see DS titles and Ps4 titles. I don't own either of these. I plan on getting a Switch, so maybe then?

I loved the Dragon Warrior titles for the NES. Is Dragon's Quest similar?

[BlahBlahWhatever]

He said it himself why DQ never become popular in the West, PS came out in 1996 & the next year FFVII released & people take notice of how much fun a JRPG can be & a new fandom created that was starving for good JRPGs with amazing stories & characters, & what ENIX did? they never take advantage of all those people who were starving for good JRPGs, the first DQ they release on PS was VII & that was at the end of 2001 & 'only' in NA, they never release it in EU, so it took them 4 whole years to release a single DQ game when PS was almost out of market because PS2 had already released by that time & I repeat they completely ignore the EU market, the first & only DQ game I have play was VIII & I enjoyed it very much, it was an amazing game I had a great time with it, if they didn't ignore the West & EU & if they localize more DQ games since PS released now more people would know & become fans of the series, it's their own fault they never did the necessary steps to make the series popular over here.

[PhoenixUp]

PS1 was released in 1994 in Japan and 1995 in western markets.

[BlahBlahWhatever]

Based on what Wikipedia says it was released September of 1995 in EU but I haven't take notice of it since 96 so that's why in my mind it came out in 96 that was the year Resident Evil released & that was the game that make me to wanna buy one so much :)

[zugdar]

It would help if they amped up the hype for Dragon Quest and actually acted like they believe in it. They treat the franchise like an afterthought in the west. When was a Dragon Quest game ever featured in a keynote or given a series of story and feature driven trailers like Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts? The closest they got was the FFXII demo included with DQ8.

It does not help that every game has a very similar style and compared to other long RPG franchises, has not changed much at all from its roots which makes it hard to get new players.

[metalgod88]

Create a new Dragon Quest game and put it on PS4/XB1/PC...

[PhoenixUp]

DQXI is already heading to PS4,. A DQ game would never sell well on an Xbox console

[metalgod88]

I'm not sure what 'sells well' on an xbox these days. At one point, the xb1 was special and unique, but the past year or so, I've seen no reason to really have one over the other consoles. I mean..if you can't get a solid JRPG on a console, what's the point of even having one.

[tulholdren]

Love DQ games the new one is a day 1 for me. I like the stories and gameplay from the series new one looks to be more of what I like. Games like this will always keep JRPGS my favorite gaming gene.

[SegaGamer]

Final Fantasy is better advertised and some people from the west still have this pathetic attitude that if it look's too cartoony, then they won't play it. They will use the "it's for kids" excuse when what it really is is that they are afraid of being judged for playing a game that look's like a cartoon.

Dragon Quest games are more enjoyable for me, they always have been.

[Kocurstvo]

For the most of these games:
Square = FF
Enix = DQ
Thats the chief difference

[Darkfist_Flames]

they should make it action-rpg