Before the big announcements of the fortieth anniversary of the Dragon Quest series, Square Enix is preparing the ground for its first big release of 2026 with a little free surprise.
2026 will be a special year for the Dragon Quest license, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary. Yes, four decades ago, Yūji Horii, Akira Toriyama and a small team of developers came together to create one of the tenors of the JRPG, which would inspire and leave its mark on many games later, including Chiaroscuro Expedition 33 since you only have him on your lips. The saga is then a real institution in Japan, but this legendary aura has never really spread to the West. Something that Square Enix has been trying to remedy for several years by offering updated versions of the founding episodes of the franchise.
THE first three Dragon Quest have thus received a nice brushstroke in HD 2D style, while the seventh will inaugurate a most singular artistic direction, with handmade characters, looking like figurines in a diorama setting. The future will be shaped above all by the sadly silent Dragon Quest 12but before the big announcements of this anniversary, Square Enix will offer a first surprise, free, to fans of the license.
Dragon Quest 7 Remake gets a free demo
It’s a great way to start the year for Square Enix, which announced the imminent arrival of a free demo of one of its flagship titles of 2026. Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined It’s all about the little treat from the beginning of the year that we devour under a blanket, in the warmth. Scheduled for February 5, 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2 & 1, PS5, Xbox Series and PC, the remake will be available from January 7, 2026 via a free demo. The latter will be available on all platforms on this date and any progress made will be retained upon the official release of Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined. It will even offer a little bonus: a casual outfit for Maribel. The Japanese publisher, however, has not communicated on the content and duration of this free demo.
With a wet finger, we will say that it will allow us to have an overview of the new features specific to the Dragon Quest 7 remake. Starting with its visuals worthy of a diorama, its combat system which provides welcome comfort options such as an automatic combat option, its atmosphere full of candor, its dubbing and most certainly its vocations system which gives access to new classes, special attacks and skills. We played there for a few hours last year and were won over by its charm. Maybe you will be too, especially if you’re missing Chiaroscuro and are looking for an old-fashioned turn-based RPG, but with the flavor of 2026. And while you’re still here, a little bonus: the publisher has also shared the introductory cinematic for Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, which will undoubtedly tug at your nostalgic chords.
Source : Square Enix
