Dead or Alive was, at one point, one of the most popular fighting game franchises on the market, alongside the likes of Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat. When the first entry in the series was released internationally for arcades in 1996, it took the gaming world by storm. The game sold so well, in fact, that it saved its publisher, Tecmo, from going bankrupt. Later installments in the Dead or Alive franchise also had similar commercial success. Dead or Alive 3, as an example, was one of the top 10 best-selling games on the original Xbox, while Dead or Alive 4 and its free-to-play counterparts were downloaded more than 12 million times.
The Dead or Alive series technically isn’t dead, but it hasn’t received a new mainline installment in quite some time. The last proper fighting game in the franchise was 2019’s Dead or Alive 6, which garnered a somewhat contentious reputation among fans due to its excessive monetization. Aside from the occasional Asia-exclusive spin-off title like Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Scarlet and Venus Vacation Prism: Dead or Alive Extreme, the franchise’s lead developer, Team Ninja, has largely shifted its focus towards other intellectual properties within the last few years. That being said, some recent news regarding Koei Tecmo, the Japanese firm that owns Team Ninja, suggests that the next chapter of Dead or Alive may happen sooner rather than later.
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The Dead or Alive Series Could Soon Be Revived Thanks to Koei Tecmo’s New Strategy
Koei Tecmo Wants to Move Away from Mobile Games and Double Down on AAA Releases
During a shareholder Q&A session, Koei Tecmo shared its outlook on the future of the gaming industry and its plans to adapt to market trends. One of the major topics that the company discussed at the event was mobile gaming. While Koei Tecmo isn’t a major player in the mobile game market, it has adapted several of its flagship franchises for iOS and Android in recent times, including Atelier, Nobunaga’s Ambition, and Romance of the Three Kingdoms. In spite of these efforts, Koei Tecmo intends to scale back its investments in mobile gaming because, according to the firm, “significant growth is unlikely to be seen” in the field.
Instead of trying to increase its presence in the mobile game market, Koei Tecmo wants to double down on AAA video game development. Due to the recent success of big-budget video games from China and Korea (presumably Black Myth: Wukong and Stellar Blade, among other titles), Koei Tecmo believes that the console and PC game market will grow in the near future. Because of this, it aims to release AAA video games on an annual basis going forward. In order to achieve this lofty goal, the company intends to double its employee headcount from 2,500 to 5,000 in the coming years.
Bringing Dead or Alive Back Makes Sense, Considering Koei Tecmo’s Current Plans
Given how much renewed interest Koei Tecmo is showing in the AAA game market, the release of a new mainline Dead or Alive game seems more likely than ever. In fact, a recent statement from a developer at Team Ninja adds further credence to the idea. In an interview with TouchArcade from February 2024, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty director Masakazu Hirayama was asked if Koei Tecmo had any interest in reviving the Dead or Alive franchise. While Hirayama did state that the company didn’t have plans to bring the series back at the time, he said that it was “always considering the possibility” of making more Dead or Alive games.
The fighting game genre is currently undergoing a bit of a renaissance, in no small part due to the release of critically-acclaimed games like Tekken 8, Street Fighter 6, and Guilty Gear Strive. Since Koei Tecmo is so adamant about expanding its footprint in the AAA market, it would be wise of them to capitalize on this resurgence by bringing the Dead or Alive series back with a new, numbered installment.
DEAD OR ALIVE 6 is fast-paced 3D fighting game, produced by Koei Tecmo Games, featuring stunning graphics and multi-tiered stages that create a truly entertaining competitive experience.
[Introducing the DOA Series]
The DEAD OR ALIVE franchise is a AAA fighting game series produced by Koei Tecmo Games’ Team NINJA. Composed of fast-paced 3D fighting games that began with the original DEAD OR ALIVE arcade game in 1996, and have since appeared on a multitude of consoles and arcade machines around the world. In DEAD OR ALIVE 6, the world of DOA is brought back more vibrant than ever, featuring both enhanced visuals and an updated combat systems, aimed to provide the highest possible level of new fighting entertainment.
[Story]
The story will follow the events of DEAD OR ALIVE 5, focusing on 2 separate main narratives; namely, the battle between “Ninja and DOATEC” versus “M.I.S.T. lead by Donovan”, and the events that occur during the 6th DEAD OR ALIVE Tournament. New side story episodes will also be added for returning characters.
- Released
- March 1, 2019
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair