Are Dragon Games Truly Abundant in Year of the Dragon?

Feb 19, 2024 | News On Japan

TOKYO - As we enter the Year of the Dragon, an intriguing urban legend has resurfaced, claiming that dragon-themed video games are released more frequently during these years. The years in question are 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, and now 2024. We'll examine the dragon games launched in each of these years to determine the truth behind this myth.

In 1976, the world of video games was still in its infancy, with the release of "Breakout" being a major event. There were no dragon games to speak of, as even the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) had not yet been released (it would come out in 1983). It's worth noting that the first edition of the role-playing game "Dungeons & Dragons," often considered the progenitor of RPGs, made its debut in 1974.

It wasn't until 1984 that we saw the arrival of major dragon-themed games, with "Dragon Slayer" by Nihon Falcom and "Dragon Quest" by Enix (now Square Enix) in 1986.

1988 was a golden era for the NES, with major console releases such as the PC Engine in 1987 and the Mega Drive in 1988, alongside a flourishing PC gaming scene with the PC-98. This year marked the launch of the hit "Dragon Quest III," although other dragon-related games were less prominent.

In 2000, with the PlayStation 2's release, the gaming industry was at the height of the PS2 era. The standout dragon game was "Dragon Quest VII," though there were few other notable dragon titles.

2012 saw a diverse gaming landscape with the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii as the main home consoles, and the release of the Wii U in December. The handheld gaming market was also booming with the Nintendo 3DS and PS Vita. Amongst a plethora of games, "Dragon Quest X" stood out, continuing the trend of a new "Dragon Quest" installment every Dragon Year.

And now in 2024, the "Yakuza" series (known as "Ryu ga Gotoku" in Japan), another prominent dragon-themed franchise, has already released its latest entry. However, there is no news yet of a new "Dragon Quest" series game, leaving fans to wonder if the tradition will continue.

In summary, since 1988, a new numbered "Dragon Quest" game has been released in each Dragon Year (excluding this year). Could this mean that we might see the latest installment, "Dragon Quest XII," sometime this year? The anticipation grows, especially as we recall the announcement of "HD-2D Dragon Quest III" two years ago.

Will the Year of the Dragon bring a new "Dragon Quest" game? Only time will tell.

Source: Dengeki

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