Dragon Quest Creator Yuji Horii Is Making a Surprise Sequel After 43 Years
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii is returning with a surprise sequel to his 1983 detective game, The Portopia Serial Murder Case, slated for release in 2027.
Nintendo Direct broadcasts always deliver massive announcements for modern platforms, but a quiet reveal in the Japanese presentation caught retro fans completely off guard. Yuji Horii, the visionary creator behind the legendary Dragon Quest franchise, is returning to his roots to develop a brand-new sequel to The Portopia Serial Murder Case. Originally released in 1983 for early personal computers before heading to the NES, the classic text adventure inspired generations of developers, including Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima.
According to details shared on Steam and reported by Eurogamer, Horii is supervising the project as an executive director for a 2027 launch on PC and the upcoming Switch 2 hardware. Set once again in 1980s Kobe, the upcoming game brings back the signature menu-driven command selections, witness interrogations, and detective work from the original, paired with a brand-new cast and a fresh string of mysteries.
This new project also marks a welcome pivot away from Square Enix's ill-fated AI experiment with the original game a few years ago. That particular tech demo faced heavy criticism from players on Steam, but this upcoming sequel appears to focus entirely on classic narrative design. While English language support has not been confirmed just yet, the return of a legendary genre pioneer is turning serious heads across the community.
Tags: Retro Gaming, RPG, PC Gaming, Nintendo Switch
Original article: Eurogamer