Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withering World Revealed as the Next Monster-Collecting RPG From Square Enix
Square Enix has officially announced Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withering World, the next entry in the long-running Dragon Quest Monsters series. Revealed during Nintendo Direct in June 2026, the game is scheduled to launch on February 5, 2027, for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
The announcement marks the return of one of Dragon Quest's most beloved spin-off franchises. While the mainline Dragon Quest games focus on traditional role-playing adventures, the Monsters series revolves around recruiting, raising, and battling creatures from throughout the Dragon Quest universe. Over the years, the series has developed a dedicated following thanks to its monster collecting systems and its large roster of familiar creatures.
The Withering World takes players to a land threatened by a mysterious blight that is transforming once-vibrant regions into barren wastelands. The reveal trailer showcased environments in various stages of decay, from dying forests and crumbling settlements to deserts spreading across once fertile landscapes.
A New World Built Around the Spread of the Blight
Square Enix describes the Withering as a force that actively alters environments. The trailer showed regions affected by the phenomenon in different ways, suggesting that players will witness the impact of the blight across multiple locations throughout their journey.
The footage also highlighted a variety of towns, wilderness areas, and large monsters roaming the landscape. While the company has not yet provided a detailed breakdown of gameplay systems, exploration appears to play a significant role in the adventure.
The Dragon Quest Monsters series has traditionally allowed players to recruit creatures encountered in the wild and combine them through synthesis systems to create stronger monsters. Although Square Enix has not fully explained how those mechanics will function in The Withering World, many fans expect monster collection and team building to remain key components of the experience.
Even with limited details available so far, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withering World has already attracted attention from RPG fans eager to return to one of Square Enix's most enduring spin-off franchises. With a new world in danger, a fresh cast of characters, and the promise of recruiting familiar Dragon Quest creatures, the game is set to continue the monster collecting tradition that has defined the series for decades.
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This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 11:34 AM.