Support NeoGAF

[Wario64]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/08/11/news_6104644.html

TOKYO--Kouichi Sugiyama, the composer for the Dragon Quest series, made an offhand comment yesterday that Dragon Quest VIII will be released by the end of 2004. Square Enix has only officially announced that the PlayStation 2 role-playing game will be released sometime during winter 2004-2005.

During his 18th Dragon Quest concert, Sugiyama told the audience that the game's compositions were complete and music development will be going into the next stage. "Things are going to get busy since I'll have to begin converting the compositions into data for Dragon Quest VIII, which is going to be released during the year," he told his concert audience, which responded with a large round of applause.

 

[jarrod]

This was rumored before... hopefully that means a summer 2005 US release.

 

[Defensor]

I want to see riots for this game at launch.

 

[epmode]

2006 american release! hooray!

 

[Chrono]

Does that mean we should expect FFXII to be released in spring 2005 for japan?

 

[Doom_Bringer]

yeah 12 got delayed big time! Expect a Summer 2005 Jpn release date for ff12

 

[TekunoRobby]

Whatever it takes Sugiyama, make sure the soundtrack rocks.

I was kinda hoping for an early 2005 release but maybe that isn't gonna happen.

 

[u_neek]

yeah 12 got delayed big time! Expect a Summer 2005 Jpn release date for ff12

Yeah, probably... sux!

 

[Bizarro Sun Yat-sen]

Isn't it already confirmed for November?

 

[Grizzlyjin]

How is Square-Enix going to fit the US releases of Final Fantasy XII, Kingdom Hearts, and Dragon Quest VIII all in 2005...

 

[Defensor]

How is Square-Enix going to fit the US releases of Final Fantasy XII, Kingdom Hearts, and Dragon Quest VIII all in 2005...

Summer, Fall, Winter.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Summer, Fall, Winter.

I guess that works, we'll see how they are spaced. So I guess that would mean DQVIII, Kingdom Hearts II, Final Fantasy XII. Big year for them.

 

[Wario64]

You guys don't remember 2000? Square had an awesome line up of games...like 5-6 games released in a row, each game released a month away of each other. Something like Front Mission 3, Vagrant Story, Legend of Mana, Threads of Fate, Chrono Cross....that was a pretty sweet year

 

[Doogdogg]

How is Square-Enix going to fit the US releases of Final Fantasy XII, Kingdom Hearts, and Dragon Quest VIII all in 2005...

since when DQ was a big deal in U.S.?

 

[Bizarro Sun Yat-sen]

I think FFXII, KH2, DQ8 would be a more likely order for the US releases.

 

[Pellham]

since when DQ was a big deal in U.S.?

It's not but that doesn't mean they couldn't make it a big deal. With the way DQ8 is shaping up, even american gamers will dig it (hopefully).

 

[Culex]

Anyone think it will sell 2 million the first day in Japan? It just might.

 

[john tv]

DQ8 is gonna be huge in the US. Wait for it!

 

[Grizzlyjin]

since when DQ was a big deal in U.S.?

I think the huge graphic upgrade was to appeal to audiences outside of Japan, they really want this one to catch on in North America.

 

[jarrod]

I think FFXII, KH2, DQ8 would be a more likely order for the US releases.

No way with FFXII's delay... DQVIII this summer, FFXII following in the fall and KH2 right before Christmas.

 

[Bizarro Sun Yat-sen]

Square starts translation work on games before the Japanese release these days, so a Japanese delay won't necessarily be passed on to the US release.

 

[Kobun Heat]

DQVIII is going to be huge in the US because Square and Enix merged, and now they can coordinate their launch schedules. Look at Star Ocean 3; that's going to be The Big RPG this year whereas had the companies not merged, it would have fizzled.

 

[djtiesto]

DQVIII is going to be huge in the US because Square and Enix merged, and now they can coordinate their launch schedules. Look at Star Ocean 3; that's going to be The Big RPG this year whereas had the companies not merged, it would have fizzled.

Haha, that's awesome... I would love to see SO3 have a successful US release. I hope that S-E puts forth a lot more resources marketing the Enix side of things, I personally couldn't give a damn about Kingdom Hearts 2 (I thought the first was awful), and FF12 doesn't really interest me very much (I will still get it), especially how people are saying they've "westernized" it a bit.

 

[belgurdo]

DQ8 is gonna be huge in the US. Wait for it!

Lifetime sales=250000

 

[Suikoguy]

Lifetime sales=250000

Which, while no way close to the japaneese sales, is not bad at all

 

[jarrod]

Square starts translation work on games before the Japanese release these days, so a Japanese delay won't necessarily be passed on to the US release.

Sure, but they'll strategically want to save FFXII/KH2 for the year end shopping season anyway I'd imagine. DQVIII is going to get a big push from Square Enix USA, and likely sooner in the less crowded summer months. I bet it breaks a million here.

 

[SolidSnakex]

Sure, but they'll strategically want to save FFXII/KH2 for the year end shopping season anyway I'd imagine. DQVIII is going to get a big push from Square Enix USA, and likely sooner in the less crowded summer months. I bet it breaks a million here.

They can also funnel alot of marketing into DQ8 considering Disney is going to be pumping alot of money into KH2's marketing so they won't have to push it as hard.

 

[RevenantKioku]

Because of the way the graphics are looking, fused with the Toriyama designs, I wonder how much the DBZ fans here will go for it.

 

[Kobun Heat]

Lifetime sales=250000

Way more than that.

All Squeenix needs to do is have that as their Big RPG for whatever Christmas season it releases in. Just as long as it's not competing with Kingdom Hearts 2 or FFXII they'll clean up on it.

...if it IS competing with KH2 or FFXII, though, they're pretty much guaranteeing a good old fashioned stillbirth.

 

[SolidSnakex]

They've got a chance to have 3 established RPG series in the US, so they should space them out and i'm sure they will. I don't think DQ8 will sell a million here, but 500k should definetly be possible with the correct marketing campaign.

 

[djtiesto]

I hope so, I remember DW1 and 2 being really successful in the US, but 3 and 4 got hardly any marketing at all (except for an article in Nintendo Power about 3, and one about 4 years after its release date). Though most Americans can't comprehend "gameplay" and will be wondering where is the hot girls dressed in skimpy outfits and overdone FMV and summon spell sequences?

 

[RevenantKioku]

I hope so, I remember DW1 and 2 being really successful in the US, but 3 and 4 got hardly any marketing at all (except for an article in Nintendo Power about 3, and one about 4 years after its release date). Though most Americans can't comprehend "gameplay" and will be wondering where is the hot girls dressed in skimpy outfits and overdone FMV and summon spell sequences?

*raises glove*
You know what? Its not worth it anymore. Still, you're an ass.
Anyway, they can keep DQ8 as long as they want, I've got far too many RPGS.

 

[belgurdo]

I hope so, I remember DW1 and 2 being really successful in the US, but 3 and 4 got hardly any marketing at all (except for an article in Nintendo Power about 3, and one about 4 years after its release date). Though most Americans can't comprehend "gameplay" and will be wondering where is the hot girls dressed in skimpy outfits and overdone FMV and summon spell sequences?

 

[djtiesto]

*raises glove*
You know what? Its not worth it anymore. Still, you're an ass.
Anyway, they can keep DQ8 as long as they want, I've got far too many RPGS.

?? What are you talking about?

 

[RevenantKioku]

?? What are you talking about?

See Belgurdo's post.

Edit: Normally I'd get all up to argue about DQ/FF and their merits and whatnot, but fuck it, its been done to death.

 

[Rubeus]

According to magicbox, the unofficial release date of DQVIII is November 25 in Japan.

- Japanese retailers reported that the release date of Square Enix PS2 RPG Dragon Quest VIII: Sky, Sea, Earth & The Cursed Princess is now set to November 25, 2004. Square Enix has not confirmed this date.