Square-Enix gives 'Dragon Quest XI' details during Jump Festa 2016; Game will be launched in 2017

"Dragon Quest XI" is set to be the most revolutionary entry in the main franchise, given that it will play radically different on the 3DS than how it plays on the Nintendo Switch and Playstation 4. Very little is still known about the game but a few more details have been shared during the recent Jump Fest event.

Throughout the event, Square-Enix revealed two lengthy videos, Polygon reported. One video showcased the opening intro and the latter showcased the game in action, both for the Playstation 4 and the Nintendo 3DS. No footage of the game running on the Switch was shown.

It was also confirmed that the game is set to release by 2017. However, this launch window is only for Japan and no word has yet been announced for a Europe and North American release. It is expected to launch in the West, however, given how the series is starting to gain popularity outside Japan.

According to Attack of the Fanboy, the developers also explained that the game is set in a world called Lotozetasia . The protagonist is a young teenager who sets out to begin his journey after his sixteenth birthday. One of the protagonist's party members, the blue-haired Camus, is also revealed to be a hero.

Square-Enix explained that Camus joins the hero and believes in "the miracle of the hero." They did not elaborate on what this "miracle" is but it is expected to be revealed in the opening segments of the game.

The footage of the Playstation 4 version focuses primarily on the protagonist exploring his environment and riding a horse to quickly travel from one spot to the other. It is also shown that the horse can knock some enemies out of the way.

The 3DS footage shows that the game uses a deformed 3D anime artstyle on the top screen but the bottom screen shows the game in a 2D top-down view, akin to the visuals of "Dragon Quest I." Neither footage showcased the combat system and other features of "Dragon Quest XI."

"Dragon Quest XI" will be the first in the main series to release on a Playstation console since "Dragon Quest VIII," which launched for the PS2 before it was remade for the 3DS. "Dragon Quest X" was only available for the Wii and Wii U.