I miss DOA. Do you?
Dead or Alive turns 27 today.
Unfortunately, only Xtreme: Venus Vacation is keeping the franchise alive (Ninja Gaiden doesn't count as that series is on ice, too), as Team Ninja currently doesn't have the courage to keep things going in the public eye. This is because while the combat has always been solid, the other half of the DOA experience - the fanservice - is impossible to represent faithfully in today's social climate.
Or at least, it feels that way. Why? Because people are afraid of breasts, and afraid of other people knowing they like breasts alongside combos, counters, juggling, counters, footsies, interactive stages transitions, counters, dramatic stories, and anime tropes.
Did I mention counters? Because that's the core feature that helped DOA stand out from the crowd. Alongside, of course, the fanservice.
It's frickin' Dead or Alive. A solid, cleverly made, SEXY AF fighting game. You can't have the combat without the fanservice. Nerfing one to focus on the other just doesn't work, as DOA 6 tragically proved.
The greed that plagued the last two games certainly didn't help matters, either.
It would be quite simple (so to speak) to bring the series back with a seventh game. As far as the gameplay goes, just expand on what worked with DOA 1 - 5, figure out what didn't work with 6, and evolve things from there.
However, the other, just as important half of DOA is a trickier beast. How would Team Ninja handle the fanservice in this modern society of degenerate prudes, social justice whiners, cancel culture, and DEI ESG BS? For years DOA was fine blazing its own trail, but when e-sports (which ISN'T sports, btw) became mainstream, Tecmo Koei wanted that money and tried to force DOA to conform after being shamed by the mainstream FGC, hypocrites that they are. The end result is DOA 6 tanking and the franchise being treated like some dirty little secret.
Suffice to say, we need Dead or Alive back, but not only does it need to be allowed to be Dead or Alive, people need to be willing to let it be Dead or Alive. And while yes, I have advocated to giving the fanservice a break, I should clarify that I was referring to the marketing. DOA should remain spicy as ever, but the main attraction should be the Fighting Entertainment. Come for the fisticuffs, stay for the hotness, you know? If the normies have a problem with that, they can piss off back to the rest of the genre that is allowed to be as spicy as it wants for one reason or another.
DOA should prioritize, but play it safe? NEVER. Again, though, people have to be willing to welcome it back, and show that fact to Team Ninja.
So, I ask you, are you a Fighter? Do you miss Dead or Alive?
Certainly! Fighting games aren't the same without DOA.
Yes, but I don't expect a comeback any time soon.
Undecided. How would it even return???
Nah. It had a good run, but the gacha game is where it belongs, for now.
Certainly not. Get that titty crap back to porn and out of my fighting games.
See Results
~Ryan Brown
