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WiiWiiU

Dragon Quest X Is an Online RPG

by Pedro Hernandez - September 4, 2011, 11:41 pm EDT
Total comments: 49 Source: (Andriasang), http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44362...

Not only will it be for the Wii, a Wii U version will also be made.

Dragon Quest X will be an online RPG for the Wii and Wii U, the Dragon Quest 25th Anniversary press conference revealed today.

Years after Square Enix announced the tenth iteration of the franchise, Square Enix finally presented solid details regarding the game. The full name of the game is Dragon Quest X: Mezameshi Itsutsu no Shuzoku (Awakening of the Five Tribes). It is being produced by Yosuke Saito (Nier producer) and directed by Jin Fujisawa (who directed the last two games in the series, Dragon Quest VIII and IX). Akira Toriyama is handling the character designs and Koichi Sugiyama is in charge of the title's music. Despite rumors of a platform change, the game will indeed be for the Wii and will be an online RPG where a player's allies will also be other players from around the world. Dragon Quest X will be the first in the series in years to be developed internally at Square Enix, after companies like Level 5 had worked on the most recent games.

Dragon Quest X will take place in the kingdom of Astoria, and will be the home of five different races and five unique regions. Despite the game being online, the producers promised that it will have a big narrative behind it all.

In addition to a Wii release, Dragon Quest X will also have a Wii U version. The Wii U version will be graphically superior, but it will take place in the same universe and online play will be cross-platform. Additionally, if players start their game on the Wii they can move it over to the Wii U version.

In terms of control, Dragon Quest X will support the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, as well as the Classic Controller, Classic Controller Pro and USB keyboards. If players are not able to find partners to play the game with, NPCs with different AI actions will be assigned to them. Finally, there may be a 3DS feature where players can download their character data onto the handheld, then exchange it with other players with StreetPass.

Details of the pay structure have yet to be announced, but players should expect to pay some kind of subscription charge,

While not a firm release date was given, it is expected that the game is released sometime in 2012.

Talkback

broodwarsSeptember 05, 2011

Well, there likely goes my impulse purchase.  I usually can't turn down a decent RPG if it appears on a platform I own but I prefer Single-player only RPGs, thank you very much.  For those that like random strangers and the occasional friend interfering in your epic RPG experience, I guess this game's right up your alley.

famicomplicatedJames Charlton, Associate Editor (Japan)September 05, 2011

Hey I called it only yesterday! Yay me.

KirbichuSeptember 05, 2011

Quote from: broodwars

Well, there likely goes my impulse purchase.  I usually can't turn down a decent RPG if it appears on a platform I own but I prefer Single-player only RPGs, thank you very much.  For those that like random strangers and the occasional friend interfering in your epic RPG experience, I guess this game's right up your alley.

You're not required to play online. You can still play the game just with AI.

NeoStar9XSeptember 05, 2011

I agree as suggested in the other thread. The Wii version most likely won't be released outside of Japan. The Wii U version will be the international release. If this is to do well outside of Japan at the levels it needs to do well (not simply they'd like as before) I won't be surprised to see NCL/SE have NoA repeat everything it says word for word and shut it's mouth outside of that. NoA I don't believe has the competence to sell this on it's own if Nintendo ends up being the publisher. So I'm hoping Square-Enix is handling it all.

This also means Dragon Quest X is even further off, even if the Wii U only version outside of Japan isn't the route they take. That drys up the Wii release schedule even more.

The game is sounding and looking more Phantasy Star Online/Universe then full mmorpg like Final Fantasy 14, Everquest 2, etc.

Video of the game.

http://nintendoeverything.com/73061/

xcwarriorSeptember 05, 2011

The Wii version better come to the US. I will not buy a Wii U if they only bring that version out in NA. That would truly PO me to a point I can't imagine.

SarailSeptember 05, 2011

I really REALLY hope this turns out to be a Dragon Quest MMO. If the PS2 can run one (FFXI) with an add-on HDD, then the Wii version can, too. It's not like Square hasn't done this before. Also, if this turns out to be true, then I'm definitely getting the Wii U version. I'd want it to look as graphically sharp as it possibly can.


Based on the single screenshot that's been released thus far, it really does look like an MMO. The game's title even hints at this as the game has five different races in five unique regions fighting together for a cause. I just can't see it being anything other than an MMO. And DQ lends itself quite well to this format anyway -- races, job system, battle system, etc. It would be perfect.


Very excited to hear more. 2012's gonna be an interesting year.

famicomplicatedJames Charlton, Associate Editor (Japan)September 05, 2011

What's interesting is this "USB memory" they refer to as coming with the Wii game.
Could this be their storage solution for saving player data and new content to? An 8gb memory stick isn't very expensive these days so it is possible.

Maybe it's for transferring player data to other consoles, play at a friends house, or maybe for when you're ready to upgrade to the HD version on Wii U? Who knows!

Either way it's very peculiar.

Based on what the fans did to DQIX prior to release, I'm going to basically take it on faith that the MMO part will get dropped like a bad habit in the next 3 months and the game will be DQ8-2.

BeautifulShySeptember 05, 2011

Just wanted to point out for those saying that there won't be a North American release for the Wii version. It says that the Wii version will be able to play with the Wii U version. You have a very large install base for the Wii and just having the Wii U version will cut down on sales for the game. Plus there may be some new owners for the Wii U and they don't have a Wii yet.At this point if you don't have a Wii it probably would be worth it to just wait for the Wii U while us with a Wii can just get the Wii version. I mean I think most here would get the Wii version while they get a Wii U for other games that use the controller and better graphics for new games for the system

I've found this entire story to be very interesting. I don't quite know what to make of it yet, but it does seem like Square Enix is bending over backwards to hit as many Nintendo platforms as they can with a single release.


Wii
3DS
Wii U


I just find it very interesting.

Chocobo_RiderSeptember 05, 2011

Disappointing that I've seen a lot of the usual gloom and doom and worry surrounding the announcement of this awesome looking game.

So, in the future, just remember to give credit to where you first heard the following predictions ...

1. Both the Wii and Wii U versions of the game will come out in NA and EU.

2. Both the Wii and Wii U versions of the game will sell well over a million units in Japan alone.

3. Both the Wii and Wii U versions of the game will sell well over a million units between NA & EU.

4. The online aspects of the game will be even more successful/popular than Monster Hunter Tri (read: VERY popular).


broodwarsSeptember 05, 2011

Quote from: NinSage

1. Both the Wii and Wii U versions of the game will come out in NA and EU.

What makes you think that? Nintendo can't even be bothered to publish their own Operation Rainfall games in NA.  What makes you think we'll get the Wii version of this game, which would almost assuredly cannibalize NA/EU sales of the Wii U version?

Quote:

2. Both the Wii and Wii U versions of the game will sell well over a million units in Japan alone.

3. Both the Wii and Wii U versions of the game will sell well over a million units between NA & EU.

Individually or combined?  I don't see both versions selling over a million units, but combined that's certainly a possibility.

Quote:

4. The online aspects of the game will be even more successful/popular than Monster Hunter Tri (read: VERY popular).

In Japan, that's guaranteed.  They are obsessed with that franchise in Japan.  But outside Japan...well, we'll see.

Incidentally, I don't see a lot of "doom and gloom" with this title.  Square-Enix decided to make this more or less an MMO, a genre that appeals to some people and doesn't to others.  I despise MMOs, so the game's not for me but that doesn't mean it won't be a success at least on the Wii U.  The game would sell millions in Japan regardless of quality, so I'm sure it'll be at least a decent seller.

Chocobo_RiderSeptember 05, 2011

@broodwars

1a. See: Nintendo's NA/EU marketing push for DQ9.
1b. Given the install bases at that future time, I don't think Nintendo will mind selling boat loads of $50 Wii discs or canoe loads of $60(?) Wii U discs.  If the Wii U game prices are also $50 then it's a complete wash and the will just be happy with sales, now won't they?
1c. TLS, Xenoblade, Pandora's Tower =/= DQX.

2. "between" = combined

4. Given the play-times of Brawl, Kart and Tri, Wii owners have demonstrated a strong capability for online play.  Since those are also 3 of the only Wii games that attempted a strong online experience, I'd say the success rate of non-gimped online Wii games is up near 100%.

Other than the slim chance of an FF14 situation, DQX will follow suit.

BlackNMild2k1September 05, 2011

From what I've read the game is and isn't an MMO at the same time.

Supposedly you can play it offline by yourself using nothing but NPC characters. Or you can jump online and play it with everyone else too. Added bonus is taking some of your friends characters and having them join your party while they are offline (& maybe you are offline too?).

But my biggest issue right now is with the DS looking graphics. I know the Wii is limited in it's graphical capabilities, but I would have thought that it could produce better results than what I've seen in the screen shot (video do look a little better, but the videos are so small, it hard to really judge the detail). I'm holding out hope that the Wii U version uses the CG assets and looks more like a real-time cartoon than a big budget DS game.

AdrockSeptember 05, 2011

I'll probably get this on the Wii U. I want to help that console get off on the right foot.

NeoStar9XSeptember 05, 2011

Quote from: BlackNMild2k1

But my biggest issue right now is with the DS looking graphics. I know the Wii is limited in it's graphical capabilities, but I would have thought that it could produce better results than what I've seen in the screen shot (video do look a little better, but the videos are so small, it hard to really judge the detail). I'm holding out hope that the Wii U version uses the CG assets and looks more like a real-time cartoon than a big budget DS game.

Exactly how does http://nintendoeverything.com/73061/ and http://nintendoeverything.com/73066/ look anywhere close to a DS game? Seriously. They are using the same art style for characters and locations as DQ9 but I just assume that's the Dragon Quest style in general.

NintendoFanboySeptember 05, 2011

Typically, the U.S. version is a year behind the Japanese version.
2013 for Wii anyone?
Makes sense to just Skip the Wii, if ur Nintendo console playing by Spring 2013
it will be on a WiiU.
If they require a monthly fee it will fail in the US, the US Dragon Quest fans are not that loyal.
Also, no 3DS version makes me sad as i perfer my RPG's on the go.

NeoStar9XSeptember 05, 2011

Quote from: NintendoFanboy

Typically, the U.S. version is a year behind the Japanese version.
2013 for Wii anyone?
Makes sense to just Skip the Wii, if ur Nintendo console playing by Spring 2013
it will be on a WiiU.
If they require a monthly fee it will fail in the US, the US Dragon Quest fans are not that loyal.
Also, no 3DS version makes me sad as i perfer my RPG's on the go.

Exactly. The Japan release is sometime in 2012. It's easy to assume, based on past games, that the international version will be the end of 2012 at the earliest or more likely 2013. It would only make sense to just release the Wii U version at that point. This Wii and Wii U situation is primarily for the Japanese consumers as they'll be getting this most likely before the Wii U launches. This was a Japan focused/only event. We need to remember this.

Quote from: BlackNMild2k1

From what I've read the game is and isn't an MMO at the same time.

Supposedly you can play it offline by yourself using nothing but NPC characters. Or you can jump online and play it with everyone else too. Added bonus is taking some of your friends characters and having them join your party while they are offline (& maybe you are offline too?).

So basically, it's Phantasy Star Universe.

I'm sure SE wants their premiere franchise associated with that trainwreck...

AdrockSeptember 05, 2011

That doesn't make sense. There's no association between the Phantasy Star and Dragon Quest. They're two entirely different franchises, made by 2 entirely different companies. They have that one thing common. It's like people want to hate this game...

YmeegodSeptember 05, 2011

More like PSO but you can add/drop players within the gameworld and it isn't limited to 4 players in a party, looks like 8 might be the cap but that's just a guess from the demo.

Also, Black when was the DQ ever about graphics?  DQVII anyone?  It's always been about the gameplay than it's big-budgetted FF counterpart. 

BlackNMild2k1September 05, 2011

I'm not saying it needs to look like Final Fantasy with big anime/realistic characters (I haven't really played a FF game since SNES days unless you count the 30 minutes I spent with FFCC:CB), but the Wii is capable of more than the one direct feed screenshot I saw was showing.

@ Neostar:
Did you read the whole quote you posted? I said the videos look a little better, but they are so small (low res) that you can't really judge the detail. The only thing I really have to go by is that one direct feed screenshot which looks like a high budget DS game. Wii is capable of much more than that screen shot is suggesting, but until we get some direct feed videos, that is all I have to go on.

Chocobo_RiderSeptember 05, 2011

-There won't be a fee outside Japan.

-The online/offline is not hard to pull off and the DQ series has not shown any signs of going off the tracks like the FF flagships have.

-The visuals look great.  They will not be confused with a DS game.

Mop it upSeptember 05, 2011

The game looks great, I just wish that it wasn't so far off.

CericSeptember 05, 2011

Looking at the video.  Its still turned based gameplay.  That can get old fast compared to something more dynamic like Monster Hunter or even WoW (which I would argue is very close to be strinkly turn based itself.)  I doubt it will have the lasting power here in the state.  There will be folks this will put in a vice grip but, that population will be small.

NintendoFanboySeptember 06, 2011

I went in hard with DQIX and put 300 hours in before someone stole my cart, bought it again, and
i'm about 160hurs in, lots and lots of level grinding,but its cool,
so if i can play offline, i'll buy it, but only my handheld will get 300 hours.
i can count on one hand the hours i put into my Wii or 360 last month.
DSiXL and 3DS is off the charts. more then 100 hours.
so i want a 3ds version, but if i dont have to pay a fee, then i'll buy it for offline
play maybe.

Chocobo_RiderSeptember 06, 2011

Quote from: Mop

The game looks great, I just wish that it wasn't so far off.

truth

Ian SaneSeptember 06, 2011

Why does Square Enix insist on these online RPGs being part of the main series?  They did that with FFXI and FFXIV and now they're doing that here.  Maybe I'm out to lunch here but I would assume that fans of a traditionally single player series specifically want to play a single player game.  Making it multiplayer focused seems illogical.  Why not make a spin-off series for these games?  I'm thinking SE figures that making these part of the main series will boost sales but I think it just damages the brand.  FFXIV for example is largely regarded as a flop.  A bad FF spinoff is no big deal but a bad "real" FF game just looks bad.

Nintendo has made a multiplayer focused Zelda but it was a spinoff.  They have not released a main series Zelda game with multiplayer focus.  I would be turned off if they did.  The single player adventure element of Zelda is why I like the series in the first place.  I want to go on an adventure alone.  That is the whole damn point.  So if they made it some online game and tried to pass it off like "here's your Zelda game" I would be pissed off.  I imagine there are FF or DQ fans that feel that way.

CalibanSeptember 06, 2011

I was just reading on kotaku that according to the FAQ for DQX you will only be able to play offline for a few hours, and then you can only play online...

http://kotaku.com/5837472/dragon-quest-x-needs-the-internet-and-extra-money-too

Well that sucks. Hopefully it's just a Japan thing.

Chocobo_RiderSeptember 06, 2011

Quote from: Caliban

I was just reading on kotaku that according to the FAQ for DQX you will only be able to play offline for a few hours, and then you can only play online...

http://kotaku.com/5837472/dragon-quest-x-needs-the-internet-and-extra-money-too

Well that sucks. Hopefully it's just a Japan thing.

Only problem with that is: Kotaku doesn't think Nintendo-related stories need be bogged down with facts.  I know I was at the mercy of a translation, but I'd take the quotes from the press conference more seriously when they said the online was a (very attractive) option.

Also, you'll notice sites like Kotaku have no economic problem with microtransactions and paid DLC for any number of HD 1st/3rd-person shooters.  However, the Wii(U) gets one of those "triple A" games they're always whining for and it's "whoaAAAaa!! what's with the highway robbery, Squeenix?!"

... we deserve better from our news media ...

Here are two great quotes from the comments of the article you linked:

Quote:

I'm looking forward to the article slamming TOR for not being KOTOR 3, and for requiring a subscription fee, Kotaku.  I'm sure we'll be seeing it any minute now.

That, there, is sarcasm.  I used to post stuff like that on Kotaku all the time when they applied double-standards to Nintendo platforms.  Then I got banned for asking why a picture of a girl wearing wiimote sleeves as shoes was "newsworthy."

Quote:

Kotaku wouldnt dare lose that ad revenue for journalistic integrity, at least not when it comes to the heavy hitter AAA titles.

truth!

StogiSeptember 06, 2011

Quote from: Ian

I want to go on an adventure alone.  That is the whole damn point.

Spshh....that's a lie and you know it. You have a brother. How many times have you played Zelda with your brother watching on the couch next to you? How much more fun was that experience?

No one's thought about Zelda and said "I want to be adventure alone." They thought "I want to have an adventure." Big difference.

If Nintendo could make a multiplayer Zelda that somehow retained everything we loved, but added bigger more challenging puzzles and bosses that REQUIRED a friend to play in order to overcome them, we'd probably hate it, call for the end of the series, forever swear off Nintendo until we realized its genius.

So yeah, point is, I don't buy the requisite of being alone as a pillar of Zelda's formula.

KDR_11kSeptember 06, 2011

Heh, Square-Enix's stock bombed after this announcement, I guess everybody knows that turning a series that appeals because it's old-school into an MMORPG is a surefire recipe for alienating the fanbase.

TJ SpykeSeptember 06, 2011

Except it's not a MMORPG and you don't need to be online to play it. Square Enix's stock did drop a little, though I wouldn't take that as a sign of everything. Sometimes a company can announce good news (like earning more profit that they were predicted to) and their stock will still drop.

BlackNMild2k1September 06, 2011

It dropped 11%

That is definitely something to take notice of.
I'm sure it will rebound quickly, but definitely worth a mention.

OTOH, seems like a good time to buy some SE stock.

TJ SpykeSeptember 06, 2011

True, it went down 11%. But when looking at the stock price, it went from $22.69 a share to $20.15 a share. I wouldn't be worried, stocks sometimes drop after a company makes a big announcement because people want to make a profit. Look at Apple as an example, their stock tends to drop after their annual events.

broodwarsSeptember 06, 2011

I've been looking into the whole MMO thing, and from what I can tell you won't be able to see "everything" in the game if you play offline.  However, you can play the game offline.  Now, what "everything" entails could be rather damaging depending on the quality of the content, but it's not like the game suddenly throws up a wall after a few hours and says "sorry, but you can't play any more unless you pay a subscription fee."  That said, Dragon Quest already had one strike against it with me for being a series that steadfastly refused to evolve past the 1980s, and making such a large part of the game more or less an MMO with a subscription fee (which has yet to be determined) pretty much killed any remaining interest I might have had in the game.  There are plenty of good singleplayer-focused RPGs out there without having to waste time on a game that will try (and likely fail) to straddle the lines between single and multiplayer content.

I'm actually struggling to think of a game (outside DQ IX and Monster Hunter Tri...I guess...I never played those and never want to) where trying to merge single and multiplayer actually turned out to be a good thing.  Square-Enix already spectacularly failed at that this year with Mindjack, as did another company with Brink.  Why can't singleplayer games be strong singleplayer experiences, and multiplayer games be strong multiplayer experiences?  Oh right...because Square-Enix lost a fortune on Final Fantasy 14, and now they're scrounging for any way to extort cash from their customers to make up for that.

BlackNMild2k1September 06, 2011

The subscription fee was confirmed I thought... At least for Japan.

broodwarsSeptember 06, 2011

Quote from: BlackNMild2k1

The subscription fee was confirmed I thought... At least for Japan.

Just from reading the RPGamer version of that article, there will be a subscription fee but right now it seems like that fee's just for the online portion of the game.  Supposedly, there is actual offline singleplayer content you won't need a subscription fee for.  That's what I've gleamed from the announcements, anyway.

MonteblancoSeptember 06, 2011

This read to me as shower of cold water. I have little interest in any kind of MMO, although it is not clear to me that this is the case. If it plays like DQIX, I wouldn't have much problem with. Still, it is not clear how the online portion would be handled and I will have to wait till I can have a final opinion. That said, the online fee is another big issue. I am pretty sure this will stick with the Japanese market but it might be a big barrier in the anywhere else. I have no intention of playing a game with such fee, no matter how cheap it is. I guess there is a good chance they will not charge it in the West but we will have to wait to see.


I thought this would be one of the high points of the Wii. How disappointing it is unveiling to be.

Chocobo_RiderSeptember 07, 2011

Monteblanco-

I really, truly believe this will be like DQ9 but instead of "visiting" just on of your friend's worlds, it is as if dozens of people (including you) are visiting someone else's world (the persistent one).

I also really, truly believe that there will not be a fee outside Japan.  Honestly, looking over the facts, I don't know how anyone could logically arrive at that conclusion.

If I'm wrong about these things, so be it.  But I'm psyched for this game (see avatar) and I certainly don't plan to pay no stinkin' sub fee!

famicomplicatedJames Charlton, Associate Editor (Japan)September 07, 2011

Something I will try and look out for in next month's Famitsu - their most anticipated games list.
DQX has been in the top 3 for the past 2 years, I wonder if this announcement will change it.


(it will)

Tybo68September 08, 2011

This is a bummer for me because I love IX and I want a good single player wii RPG. Online means nothing to me I want a story that I can immerse myself in on my own.

TJ SpykeSeptember 08, 2011

Which you CAN. As the original post says, you do not have to play with others if you don't want to.

Killer_Man_JaroTom Malina, Associate Editor (Europe)September 08, 2011

Quote from: broodwars

Why can't singleplayer games be strong singleplayer experiences, and multiplayer games be strong multiplayer experiences?

The quick answer to this is that pre-owned sales of games are a very legitimate problem for the big developers and publishers, so many of them nowadays will put forward concerted efforts in their design to make sure players stick with their game even after they've seemingly finished it. One of the common ways this is done is to incorporate those addictive multiplayer hooks into a single-player experience. And yes, some do this well (Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit has impressive integration from what I've observed) and some do not, like the examples you gave. But if you're wondering why the line between single-player and multiplayer is blurring, that's why.

ejamerSeptember 08, 2011

Not sure if I'm excited about this or not. A monthly subscription would almost certainly turn me away from the game. Still interested to find out more details though.

KDR_11kSeptember 08, 2011

It'll bomb unless they make the combat turn based. Which just doesn't work online.

YmeegodSeptember 08, 2011

Actually the demo showed it is 100% turnbased.  The other player controls thier actions meaning you'll have to communicate somehow to get combos attacks.

And the game still sounds like PSO which isn't an MMO really.  Sure hundreds of players where playing but that's just in the lobby but in gameplay it was down to a 4-party team.  DQX looked to increase the party to 8ish players/monsters--from the demo it looks like you can capture/recuit monsters to boost your party).  So it's still no a true MMO.

As for the FEE, PSO didn't have one stateside even though there was a Japanese one.  There really isn't much of an JRPG fanbase stateside anymore to justified an fee.  Of course that doesn't get them from charging for DLC content but what publisher doesn't nowadays.

As for the single player, it's still possible to get/see 100% of everything but you just have to recuit NPC which is again similar to PSO.  Hopefully, Square add's personalities to them because I really don't want to play with brainless bots, also hope they add scripts like recent games.

Right now it's hard to judge the game since only the smallest amount of news has been leaked, hopefully more info will be released at TGS later this month.

Chocobo_RiderSeptember 09, 2011

If DQX has a sub fee outside Japan I will eat a wiimote sleeve live on webcam*

















*disclaimer: in this instance, "wiimote sleeve" means "slice of pizza."

Tybo68September 11, 2011

Is voice chat something feasible for this game? Bundled headsets would make sense going with Nintendo's peripheral releasing tendencies, but this would actually be useful going forward to the wii u

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