Koei Tecmos AAA Growth Plans Could Be Great News for Fighting Game Fans

Koei Tecmos AAA Growth Plans Could Be Great News for Fighting Game Fans

As a long-time fan of the Dead or Alive franchise, I can’t help but feel a mix of nostalgia and excitement as I read about its potential revival. Back in the day, Dead or Alive was the fighting game that kept me up late into the night, competing against friends and strangers alike. The series was more than just a game; it was an experience, a tradition, a shared bond with fellow fans.


Back in the day, the Dead or Alive series was among the most sought-after fighting game franchises, standing shoulder to shoulder with giants like Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat. When the initial game dropped in arcades worldwide in 1996, it created quite a splash in the gaming scene. It was such a hit that it single-handedly saved its publisher, Tecmo, from financial ruin. Subsequent titles in the Dead or Alive series also enjoyed considerable commercial success. For instance, Dead or Alive 3 was one of the top ten best-selling games for the original Xbox, while Dead or Alive 4 and its free-to-play versions were downloaded over 12 million times.

As a devoted fan, I’ve noticed that it’s been a while since we’ve seen a fresh mainline installment in the thrilling world of Dead or Alive. The last major fighting game from the series was 2019’s Dead or Alive 6, which stirred up some debate among us fans due to its aggressive monetization strategies. Apart from a few Asia-exclusive spin-offs like Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Scarlet and Venus Vacation Prism: Dead or Alive Extreme, the team behind this series, Team Ninja, has been primarily focusing on other projects in recent years. However, some recent developments about Koei Tecmo, the Japanese company that owns Team Ninja, hint at the possibility of a new chapter in the Dead or Alive saga coming up sooner than expected!

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

At a question-and-answer session with shareholders, Koei Tecmo spoke about their perspective on the future of the video game industry and how they plan to adjust to shifting market trends. A key topic during this event was mobile gaming. Although Koei Tecmo is not a dominant force in the mobile gaming market, they have ported several of their popular franchises like Atelier, Nobunaga’s Ambition, and Romance of the Three Kingdoms to iOS and Android platforms more recently. Despite these moves, Koei Tecmo plans to reduce its financial commitment towards mobile gaming because, as they see it, substantial growth in this sector is not expected.

Koei Tecmo is focusing more on developing big-budget console and PC games, rather than expanding in the mobile game market. The recent success of high-end video games from China and Korea has led them to believe that this sector will expand soon. To maintain this annual release of AAA games, they plan to increase their workforce significantly, growing from 2,500 employees to a total of 5,000 in the upcoming years.

Bringing Dead or Alive Back Makes Sense, Considering Koei Tecmo’s Current Plans

With Koei Tecmo showing renewed enthusiasm for AAA titles, a new mainline Dead or Alive game appears increasingly probable. This notion is further supported by recent comments from a Team Ninja developer. In an interview with TouchArcade in February 2024, director Masakazu Hirayama of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty was asked about the possibility of Koei Tecmo reviving the Dead or Alive franchise. Although he mentioned that there were no plans to resurrect the series at the time, Hirayama hinted that they were always contemplating the idea of creating more Dead or Alive games.

As a passionate fan, I can’t help but notice the exciting revival happening in the fighting game genre right now. Titles like “Tekken 8,” “Street Fighter 6,” and “Guilty Gear Strive” have been making waves, earning critical acclaim left and right. Given Koei Tecmo’s ambitious plans to grow their presence in the AAA market, it seems like a smart move for them to leverage this resurgence by reviving the “Dead or Alive” series with a fresh, numbered installment.

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2024-11-25 21:13