Dragon Quest VII Reimagined Announced: Square Enix Clarifies Remake Lineup for Nintendo Switch

Square Enix continues to expand its legacy RPG catalog on Nintendo Switch with the surprise announcement of Dragon Quest VII Reimagined.

The reveal took place during last week's Nintendo Direct, joining recent releases like Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake and the forthcoming Dragon Quest I & II HD Remake.

The announcement caught many franchise fans off guard, as some expected the next remake to be from the beloved Zenithian Trilogy—specifically Dragon Quest IV, V, or VI. During a recent episode of the Yuubou & Mashirito no KosoKoso Housoukyoku livestream, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii addressed these community expectations.

Co-host Kazuhiko "Mashirito" Torishima, former editor-in-chief of Weekly Shonen Jump, referenced fan hopes by expressing surprise that Dragon Quest IV, V, and VI were not next in line for a remake.

Horii clarified, stating through a translated response reported by RPG Site: “Many factors are in motion, but it just happened that Dragon Quest VII was chosen first.” He reiterated that the decision was circumstantial rather than indicative of future plans. When Torishima pressed further—suggesting that skipping IV, V, and VI did not necessarily mean those titles would be excluded—Horii maintained his neutral stance, repeating, "I didn’t say it," multiple times, neither confirming nor denying additional remakes in the pipeline. Later in the discussion, joined by MC Naz Chris, Horii emphasized Square Enix’s ongoing commitment to platform support.

“As I mentioned, our goal is to make these titles playable on modern systems,” he explained.

Addressing the development progress on Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, Horii assured viewers that the project was moving forward swiftly, with significant progress already made.

When prompted about the complexities involved in remaking Dragon Quest IV, due to its chapter-based structure, Horii responded with laughter, keeping future details under wraps. The decision to skip from I & II directly to VII surprised the community, but it highlights Square Enix’s strategy to keep classic Dragon Quest experiences accessible to new and longtime fans alike on the Nintendo Switch and potentially future Switch hardware.

The official Square Enix blog has since provided additional information outlining visual updates, enhancements to combat, and other refinements coming to Dragon Quest VII Reimagined. With the continued success of HD remakes—Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake launched to critical and commercial acclaim—Square Enix’s approach appears calculated to maintain interest in the iconic series.

As fans anticipate news on Dragon Quest XII, the robust remake pipeline demonstrates the enduring popularity of the franchise across generations. The announcement of Dragon Quest VII Reimagined underscores Square Enix’s commitment to revitalizing classic RPGs for the Nintendo Switch audience.

While the future of the Zenithian Trilogy remakes remains unspecified, Horii’s comments affirm that the door isn’t closed on further adaptations.

For now, RPG enthusiasts can look forward to revisiting Estard Island’s epic journey with modern enhancements on Nintendo’s current and future platforms.

Nintendo Switch Square Enix Nintendo Switch Yuji Horii Dragon Quest Enix Square Dragon Quest VII Dragon Quest VII Reimagined Nintendo Direct Kazuhiko Torishima RPG Site Dragon Quest I & II HD Remake Dragon Quest III HD Remake Zenithian Trilogy