Dead or Alive 6 April update will be the fighter’s last

DLC train reaches final destination

Koei Tecmo has announced that an upcoming update for its 3D fighter Dead or Alive 6 will be its last, bringing an end to a year of patches and expensive DLC practices.

The final update – bringing DoA 6 to Version 1.22 – will include two sets of DLC costumes: The “Revival” High Society costumes and “Revival” school uniforms, along with a run of bug fixes and balance tweaks. After the patch is implemented, further DLC support will end for DoA 6, although obviously the servers, rankings, and online store will remain available.

I found Dead or Alive 6 a disappointment. Following the excellent Dead or Alive 5: Last Round – and taking into account developer talk of having a whole new perspective on the franchise, focusing more on The Fight and less on the cheese – it seemed like Dead or Alive 6 was going to be a rebirth of sorts, prepping the long-running series for its leap into a new generation.

Instead, we got the series’ blandest entry in some time. Barely changed from its predecessor from either an aesthetic or gameplay standpoint. It was just “more Dead or Alive 5“, some seven years after that title’s initial release. In just one year, over $400 worth of DLC has been made available to purchase for DoA 6, some of it the same DLC from DoA 5. This focus came to a head (literally) with the recent “hair colour change” controversy.

If DoA returns for the next gen, here’s hoping it comes screaming into a new era. Switch up the roster, redesign the characters, choose a whole new aesthetic tone or visual style. Take chances. Dead or Alive was a great series for years. Its fast, read-heavy punch-ups are intense, engaging and, at times, breathtaking. Make us remember what brought DoA to the dance, light a fire under the competitive scene again, and perhaps, just once, leave the shopping mall priorities at home.

Dead or Alive 6 is available now on PS4, PC, and Xbox One.

For all our fighters #DOA6 #DEADORALIVE6 pic.twitter.com/QZglaqNXit

— Official DEAD OR ALIVE Fighting Game (@DOATEC_OFFICIAL) March 31, 2020