With new Dead or Alive and Virtua Fighter projects in the works, there’s just one thing missing before we have a full 3D fighting game renaissance
Hopefully, we’ll return to the stage of history soon
· TechRadarFeatures By Rhys Wood published 1 March 2026
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Earlier in February, PlayStation’s State of Play presentation featured one announcement that caught me completely off guard.
Dead or Alive series producer Yosuke Hayashi made an appearance to confirm the beloved 3D fighting game franchise will be returning soon. And, just like that, a franchise thought to be left on ice since 2019’s divisive Dead or Alive 6 was thrust back into conversation.
The return starts on June 25, 2026, with the release of Dead or Alive 6 Last Round, a largely content-complete port of the game that’ll continue to be updated with new characters and costumes. There are some concerns around this re-release, though, as crossplay has been officially ruled out and it seems like the game will continue to use outdated delay-based netcode for online matches. Jury's out on this one for now.
However, that wasn’t all producer Hayashi brought to the table, as he also confirmed a brand-new Dead or Alive title is in development for PS5 - a short teaser revealing the return of flagship characters Kasumi and Ryu Hayabusa. The project is most likely still a ways off, and it’d be foolish to expect it to arrive this year or perhaps even in 2027.
Ultimately though, I’m glad that Dead or Alive will have its chance in the spotlight again. Crucially, alongside Tekken 8’s much-anticipated Season 3 and the upcoming Virtua Fighter project from Ryu ga Gotoku Studio, all the most iconic 3D fighting game franchises are coming back in a big way. Unfortunately, there’s still one name among those legendary ranks that still remains missing in action…
Very much alive
But first, let’s chat about that new Dead or Alive project. While we know next to nothing about it at present, it does seem that the series’ rather provocative approach to character design isn’t set to change, given Kasumi’s choice of clothing in the trailer.
It’s something that I feel has always been unfairly held against the series in general. I’m not saying a distaste for Dead or Alive’s racier character designs isn’t valid but it often overshadows the very real visual and gameplay innovations that the series brought to the table over several console generations.
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