During a Dragon Quest XI S livestream, Square Enix developers discussed an early conversation with the late Nintendo president Satoru Iwata about the platform that would become the Nintendo Switch.
The remarks, translated and reported by NintendoSoup, shed light on the relationship between Square Enix and Nintendo in the run-up to Dragon Quest XI’s multi-platform lifecycle.
Background and timeline
Square Enix first announced Dragon Quest XI in July 2015.
Satoru Iwata died on July 11, 2015.
Nintendo officially revealed the Nintendo Switch by name on October 20, 2016; prior to that public unveiling the hardware was widely referred to by its codename, "NX." Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition later launched for Nintendo Switch on September 27, 2019, bringing the definitive version of the game to Nintendo’s hybrid console.
Developers’ recollection of Iwata
According to the translated livestream comments, Square Enix developers said that Iwata spoke with them about a new Nintendo platform well before the Switch’s official reveal.
Paraphrasing the developers’ account: Iwata described a game console that could be used both at home and on the go, though they did not know the system’s final name at the time.
The team said Iwata explicitly asked them to consider bringing Dragon Quest XI to Nintendo’s upcoming hardware.
How that request influenced public messaging
Developers explained that Iwata’s request led Square Enix to publicly note that Dragon Quest XI was being considered for Nintendo’s hardware while it was still referred to internally and in media as "NX." The team framed the eventual release of Dragon Quest XI S on Nintendo Switch as the fulfillment of that earlier request.
Closing context
Square Enix’s Dragon Quest XI has existed in multiple forms since its 2015 announcement, and Dragon Quest XI S represents the definitive Switch edition released in September 2019.
The developers’ account, as translated by NintendoSoup, offers a firsthand perspective on how conversations with industry figures like Satoru Iwata can shape platform decisions.
While Iwata is no longer with us, Square Enix’s Switch release stands as a concrete outcome of those early discussions.
The remarks, translated and reported by NintendoSoup, shed light on the relationship between Square Enix and Nintendo in the run-up to Dragon Quest XI’s multi-platform lifecycle.
Background and timeline
Square Enix first announced Dragon Quest XI in July 2015.
Satoru Iwata died on July 11, 2015.
Nintendo officially revealed the Nintendo Switch by name on October 20, 2016; prior to that public unveiling the hardware was widely referred to by its codename, "NX." Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition later launched for Nintendo Switch on September 27, 2019, bringing the definitive version of the game to Nintendo’s hybrid console.
Developers’ recollection of Iwata
According to the translated livestream comments, Square Enix developers said that Iwata spoke with them about a new Nintendo platform well before the Switch’s official reveal.
Paraphrasing the developers’ account: Iwata described a game console that could be used both at home and on the go, though they did not know the system’s final name at the time.
The team said Iwata explicitly asked them to consider bringing Dragon Quest XI to Nintendo’s upcoming hardware.
How that request influenced public messaging
Developers explained that Iwata’s request led Square Enix to publicly note that Dragon Quest XI was being considered for Nintendo’s hardware while it was still referred to internally and in media as "NX." The team framed the eventual release of Dragon Quest XI S on Nintendo Switch as the fulfillment of that earlier request.
Closing context
Square Enix’s Dragon Quest XI has existed in multiple forms since its 2015 announcement, and Dragon Quest XI S represents the definitive Switch edition released in September 2019.
The developers’ account, as translated by NintendoSoup, offers a firsthand perspective on how conversations with industry figures like Satoru Iwata can shape platform decisions.
While Iwata is no longer with us, Square Enix’s Switch release stands as a concrete outcome of those early discussions.
