After 43 years, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii is making a surprise sequel to his NES murder mystery game
Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii has announced a surprise sequel to The Portopia Serial Murder Case, his landmark 1983 murder mystery adventure game. The announcement came during Nintendo’s Japanese Direct presentation this week, though it did not appear in the international version of the show.
The original Portopia Serial Murder Case debuted on personal computers before later arriving on the NES, where it became a significant commercial success for Enix (now Square Enix). The game’s influence extended far beyond its initial audience—legendary game designer Hideo Kojima has cited it as a key inspiration for his decision to pursue game development.
Over 43 years after its release, Horii’s return to the series represents an unexpected revival of a classic title. While comprehensive details about the new game remain limited following the reveal, the project signals renewed industry interest in revisiting beloved franchises from gaming’s formative era.