Koei Tecmo has officially revealed a new version of Dead or Alive 6, while also hinting at the future of the series. A new version of Dead or Alive 6, dubbed Dead or Alive 6: Last Round, was announced at Sony's February 2026 State of Play, marking the 3D fighter's first iteration since 2019's free-to-play Dead or Alive 6: Core Fighters.
Created by the late games industry legend Tomonobu Itagaki, Koei Tecmo's Team Ninja - developed Dead or Alive franchise debuted in arcades back in 1996. Initially ported to the Sega Saturn for its console release, Dead or Alive took heavy influence from Virtua Fighter, another 3D fighting game created by Sega. The franchise's unique twists on this formula and its bold character designs helped it stand out among the crowded fighting game space, including its redesign of Ninja Gaiden's Ryu Hayabusa, who would go on to star in Team Ninja's successful reboot of that classic series.
10 Best Team Ninja Games, Ranked
With Ninja Gaiden, DOA, and Nioh, Team Ninja is responsible for some of the greatest action games ever. Here are the developer's best releases.
Koei Tecmo Announces Dead or Alive 6: Last Round and Teases the Future of the Franchise
A new version of Dead or Alive 6 has been unveiled by Koei Tecmo, along with a short tease of the franchise's future as the publisher prepares to celebrate Dead or Alive's 30th anniversary. Introduced during the February 2026 State of Play presentation, Dead or Alive 6: Last Round is the definitive version of the latest Dead or Alive game, with enhanced visuals, an improved photo mode, and the game's five former DLC characters added to the game's main roster. Series producer Yosuke Hayashi also hinted at more characters and outfits being included in the game in the future, along with a free-to-play mode that will arrive along with the game's launch, which is scheduled for June 25, 2026.
Along with news of Dead or Alive 6: Last Round, a brief teaser of an upcoming game was shown, serving as a hint at what the future holds for the franchise. In the short video, Ryu Hayabusa is seen doing battle with a woman whose face is obscured. The second character's hair would hint that she is franchise staple Kasumi, one of the series' most popular female ninja characters, though her outfit appears to be different than it's looked in past entries. It is also unknown why her face is mostly hidden in the teaser, as details remain scarce about the in-development title. This marks the seventh formal entry in the Dead or Alive franchise, though the sequel's title has yet to officially be confirmed.
The Dead or Alive franchise's lack of activity in recent years has been noted by both fans and industry insiders, including comments about a potential Tekken crossover with the DOA series coming directly from Tekken 8's director, Katsuhiro Harada. Long-time fans may have some time to wait before more news of the series' next entry is revealed, as the teaser footage shown feels like a very early hint at what's to come, but these reveals will give fans more hope than they've had in many years. The summer 2026 release of Dead or Alive 6: Last Round should also provide plenty of entertainment in the meantime. With the developers hinting at new content for this updated edition of DOA 6, it may serve as a platform to test ideas for the series' next iteration, or even introduce elements and fighters who could play a significant role in the future of the franchise.
Fans of the Dead or Alive universe can also continue to enjoy the Ninja Gaiden series' recent revival, with the recently released Ninja Gaiden 4 garnering respectable reviews within the industry. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, a remastered version of Ninja Gaiden 2 that incorporates elements of the updated Ninja Gaiden 2 Sigma, also launched in January 2025. With both franchises experiencing a resurgence, fans will have a lot to look forward to from Team Ninja in 2026 and beyond.
- Released
- June 25, 2026
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood, Suggestive Themes, Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Koei Tecmo, Team Ninja
- Publisher(s)
- Koei Tecmo
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
