McDonald’s Japan announced a partnership with Square Enix to celebrate the Dragon Quest series. Read on to learn more about the limited-edition items and the lottery campaign details.
Dragon Quest x McDonald’s Team Up for Limited-Edition Items
“Slime in Slime” Takes Over McDonald’s Japan in Vol. 1 of Collab
McDonald’s Japan officially launched a collaboration with Square Enix to celebrate the Dragon Quest franchise. This partnership, which began in late 2025 and extends into early 2026, introduces a variety of limited-edition menu items and collectible merchandise inspired by the long-running role-playing game series. The campaign is divided into multiple phases, starting with "Vol. 1," which focuses on the series’ most recognizable mascot: the Slime.
The collectible figures, called "Slime in Slime," are designed like nesting dolls, with each smaller figure fitting inside a larger one. The set includes five pieces featuring classic blue Slimes along with versions inspired by Grimace, Birdie, the Hamburglar, and a tiny Metal Slime. The design likely references how Slimes often merge or appear in groups within the game, but as McDonald’s Japan noted in their series of tweets promoting the collab, they can also double as a small piggy bank or be displayed in a row to show off their different sizes.
The box it comes in is designed to look like a retro CRT television that frames the Slime as if it’s an encounter on a classic game screen. A white text at the bottom is written in Dragon Quest battle font and style. It says, machine-translated from Japanese, "Five slimes; he’s looking at me like he wants to join the party!"
Though the details are specific to the Japanese market, fans interested in getting their hands on the set need to enter a lottery through the official McDonald’s Japan app. To participate, customers must redeem 50 "My McDonald’s" Reward points, and those who place their order via mobile receive an extra entry.
The application period opened on December 18, 2025, and will remain open until January 7, 2026, with winners notified starting January 15. The purchase and pickup period for these reserved items is set between January 19 and January 25, 2026.
The full five-piece set is priced at 2,990 Yen, which is roughly $20 USD. Delivery is not available, so the promotion encourages fans in Japan to visit stores in person.
Vol. 2 Hints at Monster-Themed Burgers
In addition to this, a second volume of the collaboration has been officially confirmed for early 2026. A social media teaser from McDonald’s Japan, posted on December 23, first showcased silhouettes that strongly suggested a new selection of limited-time food items. Following this teaser, the full lineup was revealed on Christmas day to include three specialized "Dragon Quest Burgers" and new Slime-themed beverages, all scheduled to launch at McDonald’s locations across Japan on January 7, 2026.
These burgers appear to have custom-made buns designed with a slit across the top. In the commercial promoting the collab, a McDonald’s crew member is seen using the Gigaslash attack, playfully renamed to "Giga-Umash" (machine-translated to "very delicious") to cleave the deep cuts into the buns.
The menu includes:
⚫︎ Chunky Cut Potato & Thick Beef with Consommé Pepper Mayo: "A hearty dish featuring a thick 100% beef patty and potato patty, perfectly complemented by consommé pepper mayonnaise sauce and smoked bacon."
⚫︎ Hot Chili & Chicken Tartar: "The two sauces, hot chili garlic sauce and sour cream tartar sauce, go perfectly with the chicken patty in this addictive dish."
⚫︎ Double Cheese Teriyaki: "Two pork patties are tossed in a sweet and spicy teriyaki sauce and served with cheddar cheese and lettuce for a satisfying meal."
⚫︎ Slime McFizz and McFloat: Carbonated drinks themed after the franchise's mascot.
These follow the pattern of previous successful collaborations by having unique recipes and themed packaging tied to franchises like Street Fighter, which had the Ryu-inspired "Roasted Garlic Mayo Egg Teriyaki," and the Gundam "Char’s Special" burgers, which made use of red buns to match the said character.
The upcoming Dragon Quest items similarly use visual cues from the series’ bestiary. For instance, the smoked bacon in the "Chunky Cut Potato & Thick Beef with Consommé Pepper Mayo" is designed to resemble the protruding tongue of the Mimic with Cheese, a monster featured in the Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince collaboration.
These follow the precedent set during the launch of The Dark Prince in 2023. Here, players could unlock exclusive DLC monsters like the "Triple Splatty" burger slime through McDonald’s Japan codes. That campaign allowed players to battle in a "McChallenge" tournament within the game to recruit fast-food themed creatures to their party.
This collaboration is, perhaps, part of a larger effort by Square Enix to celebrate the franchise in its coming 40th anniversary in 2026. Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate was first announced on May 27, 2021, during Dragon Quest Day. Even though updates have been rare, recent comments from Square Enix producer Yosuke Saito have given fans a reason to be optimistic.
In a year-end message with 4Gamer.net, according to Gematsu, Saito teased that 2026 will be a massive year for the company. He hints that Dragon Quest will join NieR and Final Fantasy in a "grand celebration" of the series’ legacy.
Fans who have been following the project since its reveal four years ago may find some comfort in these collectibles; meanwhile, the themed burgers give a nice distraction while they continue to wait for the next mainline game.
For those who want to learn more about Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate, check out our article below!
Sources:
McDonald’s Japan on Twitter Teasing the Dragon Quest Collab Vol. 1
McDonald’s x Dragon Quest Collaboration Vol. 1 Announcement
McDonald’s x Dragon Quest Collaboration Vol. 1 Website
McDonald’s x Dragon Quest Slime in Slime Promo
McDonald’s x Dragon Quest Vol. 2 Teaser
McDonald's x Dragon Quest Vol. 2 Themed Food Items Announcement
McDonald's x Dragon Quest Themed Food Items Menu
McDonald’s x Street Fighter Themed Burgers Announcement
Gundam Official | McDonald’s Japan’s “Welcome to Char’s McDonald’s.”
Game8 | McDonald's Promo: How to Get Exclusives Outside of Japan
Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate Official Announcement
Gematsu | Japanese game creators discuss 2026 ambitions
