Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World
Bianca and Nera embark on an adventure to save their families and a withered world
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World is a new entry in Square Enix's monster-raising RPG series. The story follows Bianca and Nera, characters from Dragon Quest V, who meet while searching for a cure for their ailing fathers and eventually travel together to the Kingdom of Witherwood. There they can explore fantastical lands, befriend monsters, raise them and synthesize new creatures to build battle teams. The worldwide release is scheduled for December 3, 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Windows PC, while the Steam version is scheduled for December 4.
Time remaining
Reference time:UTC (Tiempo Universal Coordinado)
About the Event
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World brings Square Enix's familiar monster-raising and battling formula to a new adventure starring Bianca and Nera, two characters from Dragon Quest V. When their fathers fall ill, the two girls cross paths while searching for a cure and eventually travel together to the mysterious Kingdom of Witherwood. There they become Monster Wranglers capable of bonding with the creatures they encounter, adding them to their teams and commanding them in battle. The adventure combines exploration, collecting, monster raising and synthesis with a standalone story set in a fantastical world.
Release and platforms
The worldwide release of Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World is scheduled for December 3, 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Windows PC. Square Enix has announced an exception for Steam, whose version is scheduled for December 4, 2026. No universal launch time has been announced for the main release, so the countdown uses the official date without adding an estimated time.
Bianca and Nera
The protagonists are Bianca and Nera, both known from Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride. Their fathers fall ill, and the two girls meet while searching for a way to find a cure. They eventually put aside their differences and set out together for the Kingdom of Witherwood. During the adventure, players can choose which character to start with and can also switch between them during their journey.
Raise, synthesize and battle with monsters
The core gameplay once again revolves around monsters from the Dragon Quest series. Players can explore the world to encounter creatures, befriend them and add them to their teams. Monsters can be raised and combined through the synthesis system to create new creatures with different abilities. These teams then take part in battles where team composition and the abilities of individual monsters play an important role.
A new world to discover
The Kingdom of Witherwood serves as the setting for the new adventure and contains fantastical lands and mysteries connected to the world's withered state. Exploration allows players to discover new monsters and uncover the circumstances that have affected the region. Square Enix has also announced additional launch content, including several DLC packs designed to expand the options available during the adventure.
When it starts
Highlights
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World launches worldwide on December 3, 2026.
The Steam version is officially scheduled for December 4, 2026.
Bianca and Nera, characters from Dragon Quest V, are the protagonists.
Players can scout, raise and synthesize monsters to build their teams.
The game is coming to Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
The adventure takes place primarily in the mysterious Kingdom of Witherwood.