Square Enix is set to release Dragon Quest IX in Japan this Saturday, almost five years on from the previous PlayStation 2 entry. If pre-orders are any indication, the Nintendo DS role-playing game will be another hit.
According to Japan's Nikkei newspaper, pre-orders for Dragon Quest IX Hoshizora no Mamoribito have topped 2 million. That would most certainly make the Level 5 developed RPG the bestselling game in Japan for the week, on par with the 3 million or so copies of Dragon Quest VIII shipped during that game's release week, eventually going on to sell more than 4.88 million copies.
We'll wait for actual sales numbers before weighing in on DQ IX's success or mega-success on a new platform.
With some 26 million-plus Nintendo DS systems already sold in Japan, the game will have no trouble finding an audience. We expect long lines and an additional hardware boost for the DS Lite and DSi overseas.
New 'Dragon Quest' May Test Square Enix's Staying Power [Nikkei (subscription required) via Andriasang]