The Nintendo Switch version of Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age seems to be facing trouble due to an outdated version of Unreal Engine. This information comes from producer Hokuto Okamoto during an interview with another publication site.
If you don’t know, Square Enix released Dragon Quest XI in Japan across 3DS and PS4 back in June of 2017. In late March 2018 it was reported that a Western release for PC and PS4 is to come, and will launch on September 4th.
During the March update, Square Enix also reported that a Nintendo Switch version of Dragon Quest XI is in the works too, which will replace the 3DS version. Additionally, the 3DS version of Dragon Quest XI will not come to the West, but according to the devs development on the Switch is a bit difficult, forcing said version to release at a much later date.
As it stands now, the Switch version is expected to launch sometime in 2019 or later. This is further backed up by a recent interview that went down between publication site GameSpot and Dragon Quest XI producer, Hokuto Okamoto, at PAX East 2018 in Boston.
Okamoto noted during the interview:
“It’s true that the Nintendo Switch version is under development at this moment in time.”
“Specifically with regards to the development, this game was developed on the Unreal Engine, but the version for Unreal Engine needs to be updated, I suppose, in order to support Switch. In that sense, the development is still expected to take a very long time. It’s still a long ways out.”
Further in the interview Okamoto made mention that the Switch version will be released in the West, and that for a while the team considered holding back the PS4 version to release with the Switch, but the company decided against the ideal:
“Of course, we did consider releasing the PlayStation 4 and Switch version around the same time if that was even a possibility, but right now the outlook for the Switch version is still unclear at this moment in time.”
“The Japan team, they wanted to release Dragon Quest XI and bring it overseas as soon as possible for our fans overseas, which is why they proceeded with the PlayStation 4 [and] Steam version[s] this time.”
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age is set to launch in North America and Europe for PS4 and PC on September 4th, 2018, while the Switch version is planned to debut sometime much later.
