Square Enix announced today that Level 5’s highly-anticipated DS RPG Dragon Quest IX Hoshizora no Mamoribito will not make its scheduled March 28 release date in Japan. Now, the title is slated to arrive nearly four months later on July 11.

Why the delay? In a statement, Square noted that additional work on the title was required to deliver a product that meets the high expectations of fans. Seeing as there has been no official word on an overseas release, we can only guess as to what this setback might mean for those of us in North America and Europe.

Read more: Dragon Quest V DS Hits July 17 In Japan, Nintendo Aims To Popularize Dragon Quest Franchise Stateside, Square Enix Clarifies Its Position On Overseas Business Development, LucasArts and BioWare Join Forces, Iwata: DSi Likely To Hit Overseas Regions In Summer 2009