Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Player Count Hits a New Low

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Player Count Hits a New Low

Key Takeaways

  • Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero has lost 89% of its peak player count on Steam just one month after its release.
  • It’s unclear how well the game is doing on PlayStation and Xbox.
  • While the game has earned positive reviews, players continue to struggle with hackers and balancing issues.

As a die-hard Dragon Ball fan since the days of Sailor Moon and Pokemon, I’ve seen my fair share of ups and downs in the gaming world of this iconic franchise. The recent release of Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero was like a breath of fresh air, transporting me back to the thrilling battles between Goku, Vegeta, and Frieza on my old Gameboy Advance. However, the rapid decline in player count on Steam is as heartbreaking as the death of Krillin (yes, I know he’s not really dead, but let’s pretend for a moment).


In a single month following its release in October, the player count for “Dragon Ball: Ignition” on Steam has dropped by an astounding 89%. The initial sales of this fighting game were extraordinarily high, but now there are concerns about its future success on PC.

Announcing the much-anticipated comeback of the Budokai Tenkaichi franchise, the game Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero was greeted with enthusiasm upon its October 7 launch. Within a day, it managed to sell over three million copies globally, and on Steam, the concurrent player count for Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero peaked at an impressive 122,554 players. Players have praised the game’s cel-shaded visuals and lightning-fast combat, but unfortunately, it seems that these positive aspects haven’t prevented a significant drop in PC player numbers for Sparking Zero.

Currently, the highest number of players on Steam for Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero stands at 14,303 (as reported by SteamDB), which is a nearly 90% drop from its peak day. The player count has been steadily decreasing since the game’s launch, although it’s uncertain how the game is performing on PlayStation and Xbox platforms. Both critics and players have showered praise upon Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, commending its engaging gameplay mechanics and Custom Battle mode. However, some criticism has been directed towards the battle camera and Episode Battle mode, which are perceived as subpar. It appears that there may be additional factors contributing to the game’s sudden drop in popularity.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Has Lost Almost 90% of Its Player Count On Steam

In a recent update, the creators of “Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero” Custom Battles have stated that they will be enforcing bans on players who use mods. This is due to persistent problems with cheaters and individuals adding inappropriate content. Following the game’s release, hackers were discovered constantly replenishing their Ki meter, allowing them to attack without consequences. Furthermore, the game strives to adhere to the “Dragon Ball” canon, which means some characters are significantly more powerful than others. Characters such as Goku Black and Gogeta Super Saiyan 4 often overpower opponents in matches, leading to complaints from players about the game’s balance.

Starting around mid-October, Spike Chunsoft hinted at the inclusion of characters from the “Dragon Ball: Daima” series in the roster for “Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero,” set to occur with its second DLC drop in early 2025. Joining the action will be Vegeta (Mini) and Glorio, who hail from the latest anime installment in the Dragon Ball franchise and were penned by creator Akira Toriyama before his passing in March 2024. Further characters from “Daima” are planned for inclusion in the game’s third DLC pack, due to be released during Q2 2025.

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2024-11-07 22:33