The next title in the Dragon Quest series to receive a handheld remake is Dragon Quest VIII. The upcoming Nintendo 3DS-exclusive version is set to be released in Japan on August 27, 2015, with no news yet regarding a possible western release.

Dragon Quest VIII was developed by Level-5 and originally released for PlayStation 2 in Japan in 2004 before being released in North America and Europe in 2005 and 2006 respectively. The 3DS remake of the game will include a new story scenario, two additional party members in the form of the thief Garuda and Dragon Quest: Monster Battle Road's Morrie (an arcade series based on the game), an orchestral music score, and StreetPass features.