DRAGON QUEST XI For The Nintendo Switch Delayed. 3DS Version, On The Other Hand, Will Not Be Localised At All

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age is the latest entry in the ongoing role-playing game franchise Dragon Quest created by Yuji Horii in 1986. Published and developed by Square Enix, Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age made its debut in Japan last year, on the 29th of July, for the PlayStation 4 and the Nintendo 3DS.

A Nintendo Switch version of the game was somewhat confirmed when Square Enix said they were planning to release the game back when the Nintendo hybrid console was known as the NX but no details were given about either the console or said Dragon Quest game. The 3DS version of the game was shown off back in 2015 and it featured both versions of the same game. The upper screen of the 3DS would display the game using 3D graphics while the bottom screen is showing a top-down view in 16bit graphics, harkening back to the Super Nintendo era. 

Square Enix issued a statement and told IGN that "their aim with Dragon Quest XI and the Dragon Quest brand is to grow the audience in the West. From a business point of view, it made strategic sense to release the 3DS version in Japan in 2017. For the West in 2018, it made the most sense to focus on the PlayStation 4 and PC (Steam) platforms."

Regarding the Nintendo Switch version of the game, Square Enix stated that they are developing a version to be released in Europe and North America but development will take a long time before meeting the desired expectations from a technical standpoint. This has led them to push back Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age indefinitely for the Nintendo Switch and players should not expect a 2018 release but a "much later" date.

This is particularly disappointing for Nintendo fans, in general, since one of the main features of the 3DS version was that it catered to fans of the 8 and 16-bit era, and Nintendo Switch owners have been wating for this game pretty much since the Nintendo Switch's launch. On a positive note, the game is still coming out for the PlayStation 4 and PC so fans of the series will still be able to enjoy the game in their language this year.