Yuji Horii says the feeling of warmth and accessibility have kept Dragon Quest so popular

Dragon Quest will be celebrating its 40th anniversary next year and to celebrate the company is preparing the visually attractive Dragon Quest VII Reimagined which is bound to go over well with fans of the long-running JRPG series. Series creator Yuji Horii was asked by Game Informer what the thinks has made the series so popular and revered with gamers. He said that the game gives off a feeling of warmth which is coupled with its epic storylines and characters and that’s something he has tried to impart in every game he has developed in the series. He also says that the game’s ease and accessible nature has also won over fans throughout the years.

“The key concept that I really try to prioritize, or keep important to me, for Dragon Quest is that, you know, older computer games didn’t really have a sense of warmth,” Horii says on the games he played preceding his work creating Dragon Quest. “But [warmth] was something that I really wanted to bring for the Dragon Quest titles. That, and accessibility for the players.” 

“I think [warmth and accessibility] are pretty important in terms of what makes Dragon Quest, Dragon Quest,” he continues. “But one thing that I also have in mind, one potential reason why it’s been beloved for so long, for almost 40 years, is that the Dragon Quest series also serves as a sort of communication tool for players. A lot of people might have memories of playing the Dragon Quest games with friends; they might have a memory of playing the game with their older brother […] who they might ask to play the game on their behalf so that they can grind and skip the [leveling process challenges].

“So I think that for a lot of people, Dragon Quest games just have a special place in their heart, and that’s why it’s been so successful for so long.” 

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