While we await an official announcement, we can make some educated guesses about the talented studios likely to be handling Dragon Quest VII Reimagined. The development of a mainline Dragon Quest game is always a collaborative effort between legendary creators and skilled studios.

The Pillars of Dragon Quest:

• Yuji Horii (Creator & Writer): The visionary “Father of Dragon Quest” will almost certainly be overseeing the project to ensure the story’s heart and soul remain intact. His involvement is the bedrock of any authentic DQ experience.
• Akira Toriyama (Character & Monster Designer): The iconic art style is non-negotiable. The late, great master’s existing character and monster designs will be the blueprint, likely adapted and brought into 3D with immense care and respect by the development team.
• Kōichi Sugiyama (Composer): While the legendary composer passed away in 2021, his unforgettable symphonic score for the original game will undoubtedly form the foundation of the soundtrack. It will likely be re-orchestrated and performed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, as per tradition, perhaps with new arrangements by his successors.

The Likely Development Studio:

The most probable candidate for lead development is Square Enix’s Team Division II, in collaboration with a external partner.

• Why Team Division II? This is the internal Square Enix team, led by producer Yosuke Saito and game director Takeshi Uchikawa, that was responsible for the critically acclaimed Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition. Their proven expertise in modernizing the Dragon Quest formula for a new generation—with its stunning Unreal Engine 4 visuals, quality-of-life improvements, and respectful handling of the source material—makes them the perfect choice to helm a “Reimagined” project.
• The Potential Partner: For larger projects, Square Enix often partners with a dedicated support studio. Given that job listings have hinted at Unreal Engine 5 experience, a studio like HexaDrive (which assisted on the 3DSversion of DQVII, DQVIII, and the HD remasters of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess) could be a natural fit. Their extensive experience with both Dragon Quest and high-quality remasters is a strong match.

This combination of Horii’s guiding vision, the timeless art of Toriyama, the classic music of Sugiyama, and the modern technical prowess of Team Division II is what gives us the confidence to believe that Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is in the best possible hands. They understand the delicate balance between nostalgia and innovation required to make this reimagining a success.