Dragon Quest XI Gets a Batch of Awesome TV Commercials in Japan

When you can only think about one thing

by Thomas Whitehead Mon 17th Jul 2017

While we wait (im)patiently for the localisation of Dragon Quest XI, we can nevertheless take in the hype for its release in Japan. While the Switch version is still oddly missing, the Japanese market is currently gearing up for the dual release across PS4 and 3DS.

Square Enix has now published a series of TV commercials for the game, and they're rather entertaining. They actually remind us a little of the Rik Mayall Nintendo ads of the '90s, in the way they take a broad range of scenarios and link them to excitement around the game. Some of them are pretty darn quirky, too.

Observe...

Meanwhile, below is an extended story cutscene from the official Square Enix channel.

It's a title sure to sell like hotcakes in Japan, and with 3DS and PS4 being consistent sales successes in the country it makes sense as a dual release; it'll be interesting to see which version edges the sales battle. Of course, all of these PS4 / 3DS ads remind us of the missed opportunity in that this isn't also coming out on Switch at the same time.

Is this game on your wishlist for localisation?

Tom has been involved in the games industry for over a decade, mostly writing about it or struggling to sell Indie games. Loves reading, writing, hunting Capcom’s fiercest monsters and watching baseball.

1
Bunkerneath
Mon 17th Jul 2017

Ok, most of those commercials are disturbing

2
SBandy
Mon 17th Jul 2017

I always thought it was fairly obvious the reason they are holding off on the switch version is because it would canibalise both the 3ds and PS4 versions. This way they can make a boatload of cash from these two customer bases and in 6 months/a year make the same boatload of cash from the same guys plus a few more.

I say this because I imagine a lot of 3DS owners will be swayed again by a superior portable version and ps4 owners will be swayed to have a close representation of the ps4 game except it is portable, plus a select bunch who waited just for the switch version. Makes sense from a business perspective!

3
Krull
Mon 17th Jul 2017

This is in my top 2 list for localisation for Switch, right next door to Monster Hunter XX. My only consolation is that Japanese Switch owners also have to wait. Maybe we'll get a worldwide release on Switch, as they may have localised the 3DS and Sony versions by that time. Maybe.

4
Berto_Gamut
Mon 17th Jul 2017

As SBandy said, I imagine the NS version is being kept under wraps so they could determine how well a new entry in the DQ series will sell on the two platforms with the biggest install bases.

Willing to bet the 3DS release will sell much more in japan. We'll find out in a few weeks.

5
Menchi187
Mon 17th Jul 2017

@SBandy Sales on a platform with an install base of up to 4 million will take away from sales of 2 other platforms with 60mil and 66mil units. 1 of which will be a superior version, the other an entirely different market. Ok.

6
Aozz101x
Mon 17th Jul 2017

Can't wait to get this on my Japanese 2DS.

7
SBandy
Mon 17th Jul 2017

@Menchi187

Yes I believe that Square Enix think if they released the Switch version at the same time it would take sales away from both the 3DS and PS4 customer bases.
Whereas if they release it later many people will simply buy the game again for the reasons I mentioned above as well as a new customer base thirsty for games.

Win win for them.

8
NEStalgia
Mon 17th Jul 2017

I'm starting to wonder if Switch will be neither a port of the PS4 version nor a 3DS version, but a 3rd version entirely with a whole different art style than the other two. It could make sense for some of the delay. The PS4 version is going for more "photo realistic" than I would expect on Switch (though Switch could more or less run it with a few less shaders I'd presume), the 3DS one is too simplistic for Switch. But what about a third version that's different on Switch?

WHY you may be asking, would they do that? Because they fully expect Japan to buy both the 3DS and PS4 versions, to the point of selling a bundle for both. Why not offer Japan a THIRD version of DQXI NEXT year to buy that they also just have to own to complete the collection?

Because, this is Squeenix, after all.

9
zeldazero
Mon 17th Jul 2017

Is it just me or have I not seen one real trailer of actual non-3ds battle system??

10
pinta_vodki
Tue 18th Jul 2017

Haha, that boss in the factory ad was great. As far as I can tell, he says "Book a hotel for 29 august for two weeks. Then get DQ XI. And after that... no more orders". And he laughs like a madman.