Dragon Quest 7 development team to reform

Dragon Quest developer HeartBeat is getting the crew back together after ten years absence.

According to Anime News Network's translation, former studio head Manabu Yamana broke the news via Twitter.

Siliconera reports details on HeartBeat's reformation will be shared next year, and that Yamana noted that the company would be doing business in a different way this time.

That's unsurprising, as a lot has changed since HeartBeat was active; its last game was released in 2001, a PSOne remake of Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen. The studio was also responsible for 1995's Dragon Quest 6: Realms of Revelation, 1996's SNES port of Dragon Quest 3, and PSOne classic Dragon Quest 7.

HeartBeat went on "sabbatical" due to the rising cost of development, but several core members went on to form Genius Sonority, which produces games for Nintendo programs and is partially owned by both Nintendo and The Pokemon Company. It produced Pokémon Colosseum, Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors, 100 Classic Book Collection, Learn with Pokémon: Typing Adventure and reent downloadables The Denpa Men: They Came By Wave and its sequel, among others.