Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World, the latest installment in the Monsters series, will be out Thursday, December 3, 2026, as a simultaneous worldwide, multiplatform release!
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World, the latest game in the Dragon Quest Monsters series, is set for a simultaneous global release on Thursday, December 3, 2026. The game’s protagonists, who some will no doubt recognize, are none other than Bianca and Nera, two of the principal characters from Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride. Now, they’re poised to embark on a wild adventure in a strange world as they become monster wranglers capable of commanding a team of monsters in battle!
The game will be available on Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and Microsoft Store on Windows. In addition to the standard version, there will be a range of special bundles, such as the Digital Deluxe Edition and Collector’s Edition, both of which come with downloadable content included. Check the official website for more information.
—Package illustration by Hayato Yamamoto (Square Enix)
■ Introducing the Adventurers
The protagonists of this tale are Bianca and Nera, both of whose fathers have fallen ill. The two chance to meet on their search for a cure and resolve to work together to save their fathers. Over the course of their adventure, the girls will put aside their differences and push each other on as they overcome all manner of obstacles in their way.
—You can choose to play as Bianca or Nera. Change characters on the regular or stick with your favorite for the duration—it’s entirely up to you!
Bianca (voiced by Eva Feiler in English, Marina Inoue in Japanese) A bubbly bundle of energy.
A bright, upbeat and reliable young lady from the town of Roundbeck. She takes good care of her companions and always leads by example.
Nera (voiced by Kimberley Capero in English, Kana Hanazawa in Japanese) A picture of kindness and grace.
A kind and caring young lady from the town of Mostroferrato. She’s a compassionate soul who tries to help at every opportunity.
■ Meet Their Trusted Allies
Bianca and Nera are joined by many faithful friends on their journey. Let’s meet a few of them!
Debora (voiced by Rebecca Hanssen in English, Romi Park in Japanese) Nera’s independent and willful older sister.
This young woman marches to the beat of her own drum and isn’t afraid to voice her opinion. Though she rarely shows it, Debora cares deeply for her little sis.
Fluffy (voiced by Caius Nicholas in English, Yoshino Aoyama in Japanese) A mysterious yet dependable guiding hand.
A strange being who advises Bianca and Nera on becoming monster wranglers. Fluffy is a loyal friend who can be relied upon in a pinch.
Fizzy (voiced by Harriet Carmichael in English, Hina Suguta in Japanese) An oddball with a loveable streak.
Never spotted far from Debora’s side, Fizzy is always on hand to dish out a few choice words of encouragement.
■ The Story
Bianca and Nera are searching for the fabled Leaves of Life that will supposedly heal their sick fathers. One night, the girls are visited at their bedsides by a strange creature called Fluffy, who leads them to continue their search in another land—the Kingdom of Witherwood, where the leaves are said to grow. However, they find Witherwood has been ravaged by malevolent forces that have all but eradicated the Leaves of Life… Fluffy bestows the girls with the power to befriend monsters, and the duo set out to revive the Leaves of Life—a quest that will take them to all corners of this this strange new world.
■ The World
With Witherwood as your base of operations, you’ll set out to explore a rich and varied world. From tropical beaches of year-round summer to vast fields of overgrown vegetables, each region is populated by all sorts of weird and wonderful monsters. With interactive elements and dungeons to discover, you’ll want to leave no stone unturned on your quest.
—Every step forward reveals a little more of the world before you. What mysteries are waiting to be discovered beyond the curve of the horizon?
—As you explore, the time will change between day and night. As the day goes on, you may notice monsters behaving differently, and maybe even some that weren’t there before.
—Your travels will even lead you to the ocean floor. Admire the beautiful coral if you wish, but keep your eyes peeled for the sunken pirate ship everyone’s talking about.
—Enormous fruits and vegetables dominate this magical, sprawling plain. Jumping on a giant carrot is great fun—just be careful of wild monsters with the same idea!
■ Lead Your Favorite Monsters on Adventure!
A staple of the Dragon Quest Monsters series is its monster wranglers. These plucky types have the special ability to befriend monsters—a surefire blessing as they explore vast foreign lands. Recruit the monsters you meet in each different area, send them into battle, use them to synthesize new creatures, and strengthen your party exactly how you want. This game features over 500 monsters to befriend, including familiar ones from across the Dragon Quest series and some all-new additions to the roster. With your favorite monsters by your side, it’s time to head off in search in some unforgettable battles!
—There are many ways to obtain monsters. Not only can you scout them during battle, sometimes they’ll even ask to join your team!
—While your monsters are the ones who do the fighting, you can issue the orders or choose the tactics to help them take down foes.
—As your monsters take part in more battles, they‘ll grow stronger by levelling up and learning new spells and abilities. Why not see how strong you can make your favorite monsters?
—Combine two monsters to synthesize a new one. Keep synthesizing to create your own unique fighting party!
Platypup
A monster with fluffy fur. Don’t be fooled by its adorable quacks—that bill is powerful enough to crush rocks.
—Keep an eye out for a host of completely new monsters!
■ Four Downloadable Content Packs Releasing in Time With the Main Game!
To coincide with the launch of the main game of Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World, four downloadable content packs will also release at the same time: the Mega Mole Hole, Monster Marathons, the Metallic Ring and the Scout Run VIP Card! Each one includes content that will help Bianca and Nera on their adventures. All four downloadable content packs will be available together as a single pack with the downloadable content “4-Item Set.”
The Mega Mole Hole
In these specially tailored dungeons, you’ll only encounter monsters you’ve befriended before. You select the rank or family of the monsters you want to appear to increase the chances of meeting the exact ones you want!
Monster Marathons
In this minigame, you send out a party of monsters and instruct them when to run and jump as you progress through each stage. You’ll earn crafting items, experience points and gold coins according to how far you travel and whether you reach the destination or not.
The Metallic Ring
Use this magical item when you’re out exploring to transform nearby enemy monsters into metal slimes, liquid metal slimes, metal king slimes or hunter mechs. The Metallic Ring can be used as many times as you like, but you’ll have to wait 30 in-game minutes between uses.
The Scout Run VIP Card
With this item in hand, you’ll receive special perks to help you get the most out the Scout Run feature, including extra scouty snacks (for use in the Scout Run), more monster spawns in the Scout Run and a shorter wait time between uses.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World is due out for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, Switch, and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store on December 3.
