Nintendo Direct: Dragon Quest Treasures headed to Switch this year - Release date and more

The June 2022 Nintendo Direct was filled with information, including details on the upcoming Dragon Quest Treasures.

Set before the events of Dragon Quest XI, it stars party member Erik and his sibling Mia, as they seek out vast, rare treasures. Confirmed for a December 2022 release date, it is also confirmed the Square Enix title will be heading to the Nintendo Switch.

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Dragon Quest Treasures will be released on December 9, 2022

Dragon Quest Treasures was announced earlier this year, but nothing was really made clear about the game. It was revealed alongside Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate, and the Dragon Quest III HD-2D remake, both of which fans are waiting for more information on.

Thanks to Square Enix and Nintendo, the December 9, 2022 release date for Dragon Quest Treasures was revealed. Another huge facet of the game is that it will reportedly have a simultaneous release in the West. That is an incredibly rare occurrence for the Dragon Quest franchise, so it's great news for fans around the world.

Erik and Mia are on the way to the Nintendo Switch, this time in their own adventure! (Image via Square Enix)

Dragon Quest Treasures takes place during the younger years of Erik and Mia, before the unfortunate events that split the two siblings up later in Dragon Quest XI. The JRPG spin-off will see characters Mia and Erik teaming up and recruiting a variety of familiar Dragon Quest monsters, all in the name of treasure.

The two treasure hunters can bounce on the backs of slimes and glide to new, areas by grabbing hold of the classic Dracky monsters. The name of the game is acquiring mountains of treasure, with the two orphans trying to make their way in the world.

As they travel through the land of Draconia, they team up with their flying companions, Purrsula and Porcus, as they seek more treasure. The two siblings will have a home base they can upgrade and ultimately try to gain even greater treasures. Instead of slaving away at the Viking hideout, the heroes are going to make their own way in the world.

In Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age, Erik shows up early to help the Luminary break out of jail and ultimately help him out on his quest. He was also trying to find a way to free his sister from a curse, where she was turned into a gold statue, thanks to a cursed object Erik found. He would eventually break his sibling free of the curse, but it required the two to do battle.

There is no word if the new title is going to be canon in the franchise, or if it’s just a fun spin-off to offer a new adventure while fans wait on Dragon Quest XII and other games in the series. As of writing, the game is confirmed for Nintendo Switch, and will release on the platform on December 9, 2022.