Dragon Quest Creator Vows to Helm the Series Until His Last Day, Eyes the 50th Anniversary in 2036

Yuji Horii is not stepping away from Dragon Quest. The series creator, now 71, says he plans to keep shepherding the franchise for as long as he is around. Not shocking if you know Horii, but still wild to hear it said out loud.

"I do consider Dragon Quest to be my child... I just really love it, and in that sense, I do think I will work on it until I die. I think the next goal for me is to witness the 50th anniversary."

That quote comes from a new chat with Game Informer, where Horii also admits he leans more on his team these days but still wants to oversee the whole thing. He has been hands-on with every mainline Dragon Quest since the very first game in 1986, so the paternal vibe tracks.

That 50th birthday he mentions lands in 2036. If you are doing the math, Horii would be 82. Most people in any industry would be long retired by then, games included, but he clearly is not interested in the gold watch. And honestly, 2017's Dragon Quest 11 made a strong case that he still has the touch.

Where things stand right now

• 1986: Dragon Quest debuts, and Horii has been deeply involved ever since.
• 2017: Dragon Quest 11 arrives, and it feels like vintage Horii.
• 2021: Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate is announced; updates since then have been pretty sparse.
• May: Horii says the team is putting a lot of work into 12 and that it will be great. Not much else, but it is something.
• 2036: The big 5-0 for the series. Horii wants to be there for it; he would be 82.

A small behind-the-scenes detail: Horii's company Armor Project co-owns Dragon Quest with Square Enix. That partnership is still the engine behind Dragon Quest 12, which is actively in development even if we have not seen much beyond that initial 2021 reveal. Horii says progress is happening, which, yes, is vague, but it at least signals the project is very much alive.

One more Dragon Quest note while we are here: Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is aiming to fix one of the original's biggest pain points. The time it takes to reach the first battle has reportedly been cut way down. If you remember how long that intro used to drag, that tweak alone could change the whole vibe of the early game.

Bottom line: Horii still treats Dragon Quest like his life’s work, and he wants to keep steering it until he cannot. If the next chapter lands, nobody is going to tell him to retire.