SAN FRANCISCO, June 4 ― The publisher behind Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts is preparing location-based augmented reality game Dragon Quest Walk for beta testing in Japan.

A mobile-only entry to the Dragon Quest franchise is coming courtesy of Dragon Quest Walk, offering another alternative to the Pokémon Go experience.

It's set to enter a round of public beta testing on June 11 and promises to blend the real world and the fantasy fiction of cartoon-style adventures in the Dragon Quest franchise.

Beta test registration is taking place through dragonquest.jp/walk/beta, with 20,000 places split evenly between iOS and Android users.

Just as with console game Dragon Quest Builders, which leveraged the popularity of creative construction game Minecraft while emphasising a more linear storyline, Dragon Quest Walk likewise promises an emerging story for those that get involved.

Quests are oriented around local landmarks, and players can also build and decorate a room within Dragon Quest Walk to display belongings retrieved while out and about, per Gematsu.

As it happens, the announcement of Dragon Quest Walk follows that of Minecraft Earth a few weeks earlier. Minecraft Earth is targeting a Summer 2019 beta for some of those that sign-up through minecraft.net/earth.

Sci-fi adventure movie Men in Black: International is also to receive a location-based exploration and collection game for mobiles, Men in Black: Global Invasion, and Harry Potter franchise tie-in Harry Potter Wizards Unite is in testing in New Zealand. ― AFP-Relaxnews