Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remakehas only been out for a week, but it’s already set a couple of key records in Japan. As a remake of a classic game in the long-running RPG series, the new take onDQ3was never likely to have trouble finding an audience. Even so, the game’s success so far is noteworthy on another level, marking a major victory for developer and publisher Square Enix.
As reported on theGenkiTwitter account, which covers Japanese game news,Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D RemakeisSquare Enix’s biggest Japanese launch since the 2017 release ofDragon Quest 11. It’s already the best-selling game of the year in Japan, with 821,770 reported sales on Switch and PS5 alone, a number that hadn’t been met since the 2023 release ofThe Legend of Zelda:Tears of the Kingdom.
The launch numbers exceed recent high-budget Square Enix titles like severalFinal Fantasygames andKingdom Hearts 3. With Nintendo Switch making up the majority of the reported sales, the release on the handheld platform appears to be a significant boost to the overall performance.
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake Is Hugely Popular In Japan
The Dragon Quest Franchise Is Unstoppable
AlthoughDragon Questis a globally popular franchise, it has an extremely secure foothold in Japan, and some franchise entries like the MMORPGDragon Quest 10have never made it to the West.Genkialso mentions that"many shops" are sold out of the game in Japanand await a restock that won’t come until December, following the information with speculation that worldwide sales across all platforms have probably exceeded 2 million.
It’s fitting thatDragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remakewould reach heights that haven’t been seen sinceDragon Quest 11. Even if it’s unlikely to have the same proportionate level of success in every market worldwide as it has in Japan, Genki’s projected numbers would be a fantastic achievement, andthe Japanese sales alone should be enough to thoroughly justify its creation.
Our Take: Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Deserves The Success
A Great Remake Getting Its Flowers
DQ3is iconic for a reason, andDragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remakebrings it back to life in fantastic form.Screen Rant’s reviewof the game awards it with a 9/10 rating and deems it a “new classic of an old classic,” and the marriage of a faithful presentation of its original strengths with new additions could be the perfect way for new players to experience the game for the first time.
The game’s success should be very welcome for Square Enix, as the studio previously revealed that thesales ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthcame as a disappointment earlier this year. I’m hopeful that the contribution of the Switch release to the overall sales ofDragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remakewill further incentivize a strong multi-platform strategy from Square Enix in the future, especially with the Switch’s successor on the horizon to help close the graphical gap.
