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Dragon Quest localization history: Difference between revisions
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Dragon Quest localization history (edit)
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In 1989 [[Nintendo|Nintendo of America]] decided to market the series to North America, as the company's action RPG title, ''The Legend of Zelda'', had proven to be highly successful in the North American market. The original title was chosen instead of the then-most-recent and more sophisticated ''Dragon Quest III'' for unknown reasons, and was given a slight graphical update. All characters would faces the direction they walked in while moving, shore lines were added to the coast, and the Hero's sprite would show him holding a sword and shield when equipped. A battery back up save feature replaced the Japanese password system, and the syntax of the game relied on Elizabethan English. | In 1989 [[Nintendo|Nintendo of America]] decided to market the series to North America, as the company's action RPG title, ''The Legend of Zelda'', had proven to be highly successful in the North American market. The original title was chosen instead of the then-most-recent and more sophisticated ''Dragon Quest III'' for unknown reasons, and was given a slight graphical update. All characters would faces the direction they walked in while moving, shore lines were added to the coast, and the Hero's sprite would show him holding a sword and shield when equipped. A battery back up save feature replaced the Japanese password system, and the syntax of the game relied on Elizabethan English. | ||
The title was renamed to ''[[Dragon Quest|Dragon Warrior]]'' as a company called TSR produced a tabletop RPG called ''Dragon Quest'' at the same time, and owned the copyright in reference to all RPG context. Due to a combination of bad marketing, the primitive nature of the first game compared to its sequels, and the American preference to action games over turn-based titles caused ''Dragon Warrior'' to not perform as expected at retail at 500,000 units<ref>Famitsu issue #621</ref>, with the unsold copies being given away as a free title to subscribes of Nintendo Power magazine. This is how many Generation X children in America first encountered the series, and estimates of one million units "sold" persist. This failure to perform is not atypical for the time, as the original Final Fantasy sold approximately 700,000 units in the American market<ref>Interview with Yusuke Hirata, manager of Square Co. publicity department, Electronic Gaming Monthly 63 page 172, October 1994.</ref>. | The title was renamed to ''[[Dragon Quest|Dragon Warrior]]'' as a company called TSR produced a tabletop RPG called ''Dragon Quest'' at the same time, and owned the copyright in reference to all RPG context. Due to a combination of bad marketing, the primitive nature of the first game compared to its sequels, and the American preference to action games over turn-based titles caused ''Dragon Warrior'' to not perform as expected at retail at 500,000 units<ref>Famitsu issue #621</ref>, with the unsold copies being given away as a free title to subscribes of Nintendo Power magazine. This is how many Generation X children in America first encountered the series, and estimates of one million units "sold" persist. This failure to perform is not atypical for the time, as the original [[Final Fantasy]] sold approximately 700,000 units in the American market<ref>Interview with Yusuke Hirata, manager of Square Co. publicity department, Electronic Gaming Monthly 63 page 172, October 1994.</ref>. | ||
Shortly after this, [[Enix Corporation]] established a localization branch in Redmond Washington, [[Enix America Corporation]], to localize additional ''Dragon Quest'' titles for North America. Often called Enix of America, Enix America Corporation brought ''[[Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line|Dragon Warrior II]]'', ''[[Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation|Dragon Warrior III]]'', and ''[[Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen|Dragon Warrior IV]]'' stateside. Due to an absence of marketing in the pre-internet days, each title was sold fewer and fewer numbers, at 150,000, 95,000, and 80,000 respectively<ref>Famitsu issue #621</ref>. While Enix America Corporation wanted to bring the Super Famicom ''[[Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation|Dragon Quest VI]]'' over as ''[[Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride|Dragon Warrior V]]'', Enix had closed their North American localization branch at the end of 1995 | Shortly after this, [[Enix Corporation]] established a localization branch in Redmond Washington, [[Enix America Corporation]], to localize additional ''Dragon Quest'' titles for North America. Often called Enix of America, Enix America Corporation brought ''[[Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line|Dragon Warrior II]]'', ''[[Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation|Dragon Warrior III]]'', and ''[[Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen|Dragon Warrior IV]]'' stateside. Due to an absence of marketing in the pre-internet days, each title was sold fewer and fewer numbers, at 150,000, 95,000, and 80,000 respectively<ref>Famitsu issue #621</ref>. While Enix America Corporation wanted to bring the Super Famicom ''[[Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation|Dragon Quest VI]]'' over as ''[[Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride|Dragon Warrior V]]'', Enix had closed their North American localization branch at the end of 1995 | ||
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Square Enix would not hire Shloc Ltd. for the whole of the localization of ''Dragon Quest XI'' in 2017, but did hire the group to aid in project management with Olic Chance serving as the editor. | Square Enix would not hire Shloc Ltd. for the whole of the localization of ''Dragon Quest XI'' in 2017, but did hire the group to aid in project management with Olic Chance serving as the editor. | ||
==See | ==See also== | ||
*[[List of | *[[List of name changes in the Zenithia trilogy]] | ||
*[[Spell List]] | *[[Spell List]] | ||
