Here are the best upcoming Xbox Japanese / JRPG games for 2024 and beyond
J-styled games and JRPGs were once scarce on the Xbox, but now the future is brighter than ever.
For many years, Xbox consoles severely lacked JRPGs and Japanese-style games that enjoyed critical praise and commercial success on its competitors like the PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. Fortunately, that has changed in recent times as Microsoft has labored day and night to bring more of these beloved titles to Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
Thanks to Microsoft's efforts, Xbox gamers can now play and enjoy titles from iconic Japanese franchises such as Dragon Quest, Like a Dragon, Persona, and even Final Fantasy. We've even had unexpected yet welcome additions like Octopath Traveller and Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, all of which can be downloaded and played for free through Xbox Game Pass.
However, this is only the beginning. As the years go by, there will be many more of these kinds of games coming to Xbox consoles in the future. So we have created a list of upcoming JRPGs and Japanese-style games coming soon to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. With this list, you will be able to keep track of your most anticipated upcoming Xbox games and grab the next potentially best Xbox JRPGs for your collection.
New releases
Metaphor: ReFantazio (October 11, 2024)
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Metaphor: ReFantazio is a brand new JRPG from Atlus and it is their first-ever take on the fantasy genre instead of urban fantasy settings like Shin Megami Tensei or Persona. This game will have you control a band of warriors traveling the world to slay terrifying monsters terrorizing the land and help a disgraced prince reclaim his place as the next ruler of the United Kingdom of Euchronia.
Release dates confirmed
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake (November 14, 2024)
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is what it says on the tin: it's an upcoming remake of the third major entry in prolific Dragon Quest and the first chapter chronologically of the Erdrick trilogy.
As the young hero Erdrick, you must embark on a dangerous journey to continue your late father's quest to save the world from the evil Archfield, Baramos. Journey across the world to meet heroes that will join your party, explore ancient ruins and dungeons, and battle threatening yet charming monsters in classic turn-based battles.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake
One of the most critically acclaimed titles in the Dragon Quest franchise is being reborn for the modern age with exquisitely detailed HD-2D graphics, quality-of-life improvements, and refinements to the combat system.
Buy at: Xbox
FANTASIAN Neo Dimension (December 5, 2024)
FANTASIAN Neo Dimension is an upcoming turn-based JRPG being developed by Mistwalker, a studio founded by the 'father' of the Final Fantasy series, Hironobu Sakaguchi. The Queendom of Vibra is being destroyed by technological plague called Mechteria, and villainous forces scheme from the shadows to bring chaos to the world at large.
As the young protagonist Leo, your goal is to find a cure for Mechteria and bring peace back to the world. Along the way, you will be striving to achieve your own personal goals of finding your missing father and recovering your lost memories.
Fantasian Neo Dimension
Explore filled with technological wonders, recruit a cast of complex characters with rich histories, and strategically utilize powerful magic to defeat foes in turn-based battles.
Pre-order at: Xbox
Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars (March 6, 2025)
Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars is a remastered collection featuring two games from Konami’s Suikoden series, Suikoden 1 and Suikoden 2. These games were notable for allowing the player to recruit dozens of memorable party members and featuring complex stories that dealt with the horrors of war and political intrigue.
In addition to remastered graphics and sound effects, this HD collection will include quality-of-improvements that will enrich the gameplay experience, such as auto-saving, the option to fast-forward during battle, and a conversation log to keep track of the story.
Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land (March 21, 2025)
The cult-classic Atelier franchise finally comes to Xbox consoles with its latest entry, Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land. In this JRPG, you play Yumia Liessfeldt, a young girl who discovers through a tragic accident that she's descended from alchemists.
In a world where alchemy is considered a taboo art that led to the destruction of the Aladissian Empire, Yumia embarks on a quest to discover the truth about what really happened to the empire and prove to everything that alchemy is not evil.
To be confirmed
Demonschool (2025)
Demonschool is an indie strategy-RPG inspired by early Persona games like Persona 1 and 2. You play as Faye, a young university student who belongs to an ancient bloodline of demon hunters. Working alongside your misfit classmates, you will defend the world from demons from the underworld who want to destroy humanity.
Lost Hellden (2025)
Lost Hellden is a new upcoming JRPG being made by the developers of Astria Ascending, Final Fantasy XII, and Gravity Rush. Set in the beautifully hand-painted world of Era, you play as Cyphel, a warrior who is on a mission to retrieve his brother Leht who ran away from home.
To accomplish your goal, you will need to explore every corner of Era for clues of Leht's whereabouts, gather allies to aid you in your quest, and train your skills to defeat monstrous demons created by the Seven Deadly Sins that roam the land.
Lunar Remastered Collection (2025)
Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete, two classic JRPGs originally released on the Sega CD system, are being brought back for a new generation with remastered graphics, quality-of-life improvements, new voicework, and more in Lunar Remastered Collection.
Experience two timeless stories of young heroes embarking on grand adventures to forge legends, visit alluring landscapes, meet a cast of memorable and likeable characters, and vanquish sinister evildoers plotting to conquer the world.
Threads of Time (TBA)
Threads of Time is an upcoming JRPG inspired by classic titles like Chrono Trigger, with an emphasis on time-travel, turn-based combat with team-attack mechanics, and a gorgeous HD-2D artstyle.
In this game, you play as band of heroes hailing from various periods of history ranging from pre-historic times all the way post-apocalyptic future. Your goal is to use time-travel across your world's history and protect it from being rewritten by evil forces who plot to unravel the timeline for their own sinister ambitions.
Which games are you looking forward to?
As you have just read, there are a ton of new and classic J-styled games to look forward to in the future, some of which may end up becoming one of the best games the Xbox has to offer. In the meantime, there is already an abundance of games for you to play while you wait. For example, Tales of Arise, a next-gen entry in the Tales Of series that features gorgeous visuals, an expansive world to explore, and an engaging combat system that makes you feel like an anime superhero.
There is also Yakuza: Like a Dragon, a bold entry in the Like A Dragon series that switches the franchise’s signature gameplay genre from an action-adventure beat’em up to a turn-based JRPG. It is an exceptional game with an endearing story, a cast of likable characters, and an addictive combat system, and is jam-packed with enough side content to keep you busy for weeks.
If you feel like any other games deserve a spotlight on this list, be sure to mention them on @WinC_Gaming at X/Twitter and we'll add them to the list.
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Alexander Cope is a gaming veteran of 30-plus years, primarily covering PC and Xbox games here on Windows Central. Gaming since the 8-bit era, Alexander's expertise revolves around gaming guides and news, with a particular focus on Japanese titles from the likes of Elden Ring to Final Fantasy. Alexander is always on deck to help our readers conquer the industry's most difficult games — when he can pry himself away from Monster Hunter that is!
- Jez CordenExecutive Editor