Hold onto Your Slimes: Dragon Quest 11 S Rated for Switch 2 (Again!) – Is This Square Enix's Fifth Bite of the Apple?
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Dragon Quest 11 S has reportedly been rated for the unannounced Nintendo Switch 2 by Taiwan's notoriously leaky ratings board, potentially marking the fifth platform for the acclaimed JRPG. This leak has sparked speculation about Square Enix's porting strategy and whether an official announcement will coincide with updates on the long-awaited Dragon Quest 12.
Alright, mates, gather 'round because the digital tea leaves are swirling, and it looks like Square Enix might be prepping another familiar face for Nintendo's highly anticipated (and still officially unannounced) Switch 2. We're talking about *Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition* – try saying that five times fast after a few pints – which has just popped up on Taiwan's notoriously leaky ratings board for the 'Switch 2'. Yes, you heard that right. This could mark the *fifth* time this critically acclaimed dragon has graced a platform, if you're keeping count!
Square Enix seems to be on some kind of grand quest to port everything to the next generation, eh? Though I'm pretty sure *Final Fantasy VII Rebirth* isn't exactly lining up for a Switch 2 launch... *yet*. Just saying.
Now, if your eyebrow just did a little jump, you're not alone. The Taiwanese ratings board isn't exactly known for its discretion, bless its cotton socks. It's like the digital equivalent of that one mate who always spills the beans before the surprise party. They've famously outed games like *Starfield* (for Switch 2, mind you – wild!), *The Division Heartland*, *Crash Bandicoot 4*, and *The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles* well before their official reveals. So, while it's not an *official* announcement, my wizarding senses are tingling with a strong 'highly probable' vibe. (Original scoop from Eurogamer, courtesy of Dom Peppiatt, who's clearly got their ear to the ground!).
For those who've been living under a rock (or just, you know, playing *other* games), *Dragon Quest XI S* originally enchanted the Nintendo Switch back in 2019. It was already a beefed-up 'S' version of the original, bringing orchestrated music, bonus story bits, an expanded 2D mode straight from the 3DS version, and that glorious 'ultra-fast' battle speed – a true lifesaver for us busy adventurers. It's a bit of a miracle it ran on the original Switch at all, given the graphical sacrifices it had to make. But hey, it's a stellar JRPG, widely considered one of the best out there – even some chap on Resetera called it 'one of the best JRPGs of all-time'!
So, can you really blame Square Enix for wanting another slice of this delicious, critically acclaimed pie? We've seen it on 3DS, PS4, Switch, the ill-fated Stadia, and now, potentially, the Switch 2. That's a grand total of five times! Honestly, at this rate, I reckon they'll port it to my smart fridge next.
But what does this endless porting carousel mean for the actual *new* Dragon Quest game? You know, *Dragon Quest 12*? It's been five whole years since that one was announced, and we've heard... well, not a whole lot, apart from series creator Yuji Horii confirming last year that it's still cooking. Fans are eagerly anticipating *something* on May 27th, which is 'Dragon Quest Day' – celebrating the original game's Japanese release back in '86. They're expecting updates on DQ12, especially since it's apparently aiming for a more 'adult' audience. Maybe, just maybe, they'll also drop the official news about *Dragon Quest 11 S* on Switch 2 then too? Fingers crossed, eh? Could make the wait for DQ12 a smidge more bearable, seeing an old favourite shine with new graphical wizardry. Fair dinkum, you've got to hand it to Square Enix – they know a good thing when they've got it. Let's just hope this Switch 2 version gives us something truly magical, beyond just a bump in resolution.
Tags: Dragon Quest, Nintendo Switch 2, Square Enix, JRPG, Gaming Leaks
Original article: Eurogamer