Square Enix and KLab launched the roguelite action RPG Dragon Quest Smash/Grow on April 21. The new free-to-play spin-off to the Dragon Quest series surpassed 1 million downloads worldwide within one day, rising to the top of revenue rankings in Japan on the 22nd. As of May 1, the game has exceeded 5 million cumulative downloads globally, but developer KLab recently addressed concerns about overseas performance being sluggish (as reported by GameBiz).
During a shareholders Q&A held on May 14, KLab CEO Tetsuya Sanada explained that Dragon Quest Smash/Grow’s initial performance has been “largely within expectations.” Based on market trends and the performance of its past titles, KLab expects revenue to pick up significantly from the next quarter onwards.
Additionally, the developer denied the view that Smash/Grow has been performing weakly outside of Asia. With Square Enix being the publisher, KLab was not able to disclose specific figures, but Sanada noted that overseas markets tend to have a slower start than the Japanese market, and that his company doesn’t perceive the game’s current revenue as sluggish.
In a departure from mainline Dragon Quest entries, Smash/Grow is a fast-paced action-based roguelite in which you fight off hordes of enemies. Randomness is introduced through “Blessings,” which you can mix and match to grow your character. In addition to the main story campaign, in which you navigate dungeons known as “rifts” in an adventure to restore order in the world, the game comes with a co-op mode where you can go on special quests with your friends. Monetization revolves primarily around equipment gacha system, where pulling armor and weapons buffs your character.
