Dragon Quest Creator Yuji Horii First Game Designer Awarded Japan's Order of the Rising Sun

Yuji Horii, creator of the Dragon Quest series, has been honored with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, becoming the first game designer to receive this prestigious Japanese government award. This accolade recognizes distinguished service to the state and is the third highest order awarded, traditionally given to notable figures outside the gaming industry. Horii, who has contributed to every mainline Dragon Quest game since the series began in 1986, expressed humility by crediting his team and fans for the achievement. The Dragon Quest franchise remains highly influential and continues to thrive with recent releases like the Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake and upcoming projects including Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined and Dragon Quest XII. This recognition highlights the cultural impact of the Dragon Quest series and Horii's four decades of dedication to game development. His company, Armor Project, co-owns the franchise with Square Enix, emphasizing his ongoing role in shaping the JRPG genre.