Dead or Alive (franchise)

Dead or Alive
Logo of the series since Dead or Alive 3
Genre(s)
Developer(s)Team Ninja
Publisher(s)
Creator(s)Tomonobu Itagaki
Platform(s)Arcade, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, iOS, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, Nintendo Switch
First releaseDead or Alive
November 26, 1996[1]
Latest releaseDead or Alive 6
March 1, 2019
Spin-offsDead or Alive Xtreme series

Dead or Alive (Japanese: デッド オア アライブ, Hepburn: Deddo oa Araibu, abbreviated as DOA) is a Japanese media franchise centered on a series of fighting games developed by Team Ninja and published by Koei Tecmo (formerly Tecmo). The gameplay of the series is primarily composed of fast-paced hand-to-hand combat in a 3-Dimensional playing field that began with the first game released in 1996, followed by five main sequels, numerous updates, spin-offs, printed media, a film adaptation, and merchandise.

The series revolves around the events of the Dead or Alive World Combat Championship, an international martial arts tournament in which fighters from across the globe participate for the title of world champion and large cash prizes. The tournaments are held by the Dead or Alive Tournament Executive Committee (DOATEC). The conflict between the ninja competitors and DOATEC's personnel serves as the main focus of the series.

Dead or Alive has been a critical and commercial success, having been well-praised for its impressive fighting system, beautiful graphics, and interactive environments. The franchise has received numerous awards and accolades. Its sequels such as Dead or Alive 2 and Dead or Alive 3 received universal acclaim and are considered milestone titles in the fighting genre and gaming.[a] Several characters of the series have made appearances and are referenced in other games while several games of the series have also been featured and referenced in other media. Dead or Alive's success sparked a renewal interest in Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden series.[9] As of 2016, the franchise has sold over 9.7 million units worldwide.[10] As of 2019, the franchise sales and free-to-play downloads combined totaled over 23.7 million units.[b]

  1. ^ "デッド オア アライブ まとめ [アーケード] / ファミ通.com". Famitsu.com. 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2016-03-06.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference doa2mc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ プレイステーション2 - DEAD OR ALIVE 2. Weekly Famitsu. No.915 Pt.2. Pg.56. 30 June 2006.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference doa2hcg was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference doa3mc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Xbox - DEAD OR ALIVE 3". Famitsu (in Japanese). Vol. 915. Enterbrain. June 30, 2006. p. 103. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference gr+ was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "Dead or Alive". Icons. Season 3. Episode 11. August 5, 2004. G4. Archived from the original on 2016-12-31.
  9. ^ Rus McLaughlin (2008-01-28). "IGN Presents The History of Ninja Gaiden". IGN. Archived from the original on 2011-03-20. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  10. ^ a b SLOTデッド オア アライブ5　発表 - パチンコニュース : ニッカンアミューズメント Nikkan Sports, 7-13-2016.
  11. ^ "Dead or Alive 6 counters with this combat and features trailer". 14 January 2019. Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  12. ^ Hills, Dakota 'DarkHorse' (December 17, 2019). "Rachel now available in Dead or Alive 6 along with Santa bikinis, a free Hayate costume and bonus character for PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live users". EventHubs.


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