As reported by Famitsu, Square-Enix has announced that its long-running Dragon Quest franchise will be hosting a collaborative event with Google’s Gemini AI service on July 30 in Tokyo.
Dubbed “Gemini Quest,” the event will take place at four locations in Tokyo’s Shibuya and Harajuku wards, where participants will use the Gemini app to scan barcodes with their phone cameras to generate spells, which they’ll be able to cast via AR in order to free captured monsters and ultimately defeat the dragon lord.
Players who successfully complete the quests will be eligible for a limited edition physical “mini medal” reward featuring engravings of iconic dragon quest monsters such as slimes and killer machines, which will be given out by “villager” actors manning each of the designated locations. The event is slated to take place in Shibuya 109, MAGNET by Shibuya 109, Tokyo Plaza Harajuku Harakado, and Takeshitaguchi Park. According to the event’s website, an additional quest will also be available, although further details have yet to be revealed.
While in-person events are nothing new for a franchise with as long a history as Dragon Quest, this particular one seems to represent a further strengthening of the partnership between the brand and Google’s Gemini platform. Back in April, the Japan-only MMORPG Dragon Quest X announced plans to add an in-game support character called Oshaberi Slimey powered by Gemini for players to interact with. Series creator Yuji Horii was enthusiastic about the addition, believing that the AI chatbot could act as “a friend to each individual player,” further enhancing immersion and putting a fresh spin on the nearly-15-year-old MMO.
As one might expect, the series’ foray into generative AI experimentation has been met with a mixed response from fans. While some fans seem excited by the new event, others have expressed disappointment in Square-Enix for embracing the controversial technology, highlighting issues such as environmental impact.
On the video game side of things, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World is slated for release on December 3. If nothing else, Square-Enix has not alluded to any AI use in the development of that game, nor the franchise’s upcoming flagship title Dragon Quest XII.
