Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World has been rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), a development that often signals a game’s release is drawing closer.
The upcoming monster-taming RPG from Square Enix received an E10+ rating for Everyone 10+, with content descriptors including Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, and Mild Language. The listing also notes the presence of in-game purchases.
According to the ESRB’s rating summary, players will follow two girls on a quest to recover a magical item while exploring a fantasy world populated by monsters such as slimes, dragons, and ghosts. Combat takes place through turn-based battles, where players can select attacks and abilities from menus while recruiting and taming creatures encountered throughout the adventure.
The ESRB description states that battles feature “smacking/zapping sounds and small explosions,” with defeated monsters disappearing and leaving behind coffins. The board also notes that the word “hell” appears in the game’s dialogue.
Officially announced on Dragon Quest Day 2026, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World is being developed by Tose and published by Square Enix. The game is scheduled for release on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, though a specific launch date has not yet been revealed.
As a spin-off of the long-running Dragon Quest franchise, the title focuses on monster collection and turn-based combat. The story follows two young girls who bear a strong resemblance to Bianca and Nera from Dragon Quest V as they journey across a fading world in search of a magical artifact.
With the ESRB rating now in place, attention will likely turn to Square Enix’s upcoming announcements, as the publisher may be gearing up to reveal the game’s release date sooner rather than later.
