Dragon Questis a remarkable series in that it has already been incredible influential within its genre, but it’s still growing. Many pastDragon Questgames have set standards for and introduced hallmark mechanics to the RPG genre, from changing character classes to setting commands for AI party members to training monsters.Dragon Questhas earned its place as a pillar of RPGs, and the latest entry in the series saw record sales in North America during its opening month, indicating a rising international interest. That means developer Square Enix needs to bring the upcoming offline version ofDragon Quest 10to Western audiences.
Dragon Quest 10is an MMORPG, rather than a single-player RPG like mostDragon Questgames. It’s found success in Japan since releasing in 2012, and it’s still available to this day, but Square Enix never opened it to Western audiences.The offline version ofDragon Quest 10seems like it could be a valuable compromise on opening Western servers for the game.Dragon Questhas a burgeoning audience in the West, and those fans deserve to tryDragon Quest 10too.
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Dragon Quest 10’s Potential
It’s not surprising thatDragon Quest 10never got an international release. The MMORPG genre is famously difficult to break into, since it’s usually dominated by a handful of games that attract the same general subset of players. Longtime MMO bastions likeWorld of WarcraftandFinal Fantasy 14maintain a monopoly, meaning it’s difficult for Square Enix to persuade MMO lovers to take time away in order to tryDragon Quest 10.
That’s whyDragon Quest 10 Offlineseems like a brilliant product to release in the West. Whilean MMORPG is hard to sustain, there’s always people interested in traditional JRPGs. SlimmingDragon Quest 10into a single-player game gives it significantly broader appeal that could carry it to success. To date,Dragon Quest 10is one of the few mainlineDragon Questgames with no Western release, meaning Square Enix is missing out on an important market. Between that untapped potential and the ease of marketing a single-player RPG over an MMORPG,Dragon Quest 10 Offlineis poised to potentially succeed.
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Dragon Quest’s Continuing Success
Looking at the franchise more broadly indicates the value of a Western release. The latest entry,Dragon Quest 11,was a major success outside of Japan. Even ifDragon Questalready had Western fans, the sales numbers forDragon Quest 11suggest the franchise is drawing in a lot of new players right now. Square Enix also hasDragon Quest 12to consider.The seemingly darker, more matureDragon Quest 12could succeed in the West, but since it’s likely far from release, aDragon Quest 10Offlineport would help tide fans over.
It’s worth noting that Square Enix wantsDragon Quest 12to have a simultaneous international release, rather than releasing regionally like previous games have. That suggests Square Enix sees the value in catering tothe entireDragon Questaudience, rather than prioritizing the franchise’s strong support in Japan. If Square Enix wants to take a more international approach toDragon Questmoving forward, an international release ofDragon Quest 10would be the perfect way to begin setting that standard.
Dragon Quest 10: Awakening of the Five Tribesis available now in Japan for PC, PS4, Switch, and Wii U.
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