The arrival of Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero on Steam has already made fighting game history. Even before the official release of the Standard Edition, scheduled for October 11th, the new Bandai Namco title registered a peak of 91,000 simultaneous players. Players who pre-ordered the special editions secured early access and, in just three days, helped reach this impressive number.
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The impressive success places Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero at the top among the most popular fighting games on the platform, surpassing heavyweight titles such as Street Fighter 6 , which reached 70,000 simultaneous players, and Tekken 8 , with 50,000 at its peak.
Furthermore, the fact that these numbers were achieved only with players of the special editions reinforces the expectation of growth with the Standard version. This could mean that the record set at this early stage will be quickly surpassed.
High expectations and demand drive the premiere of Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero.
The performance of Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero is not an isolated event. The game marks the return of the popular Budokai Tenkaichi , whose last release was in 2007, more than a decade ago. Since then, fans have been waiting for a new game that maintains the essence of the series, known for its intense battles and the vast cast of characters from the Dragon Ball .
This prolonged hiatus, coupled with fans' affection for the original series, created pent-up demand that explains the large number of players already at launch. Nostalgia, combined with new content and graphical improvements, made Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero one of the most anticipated releases of the year.
Comparison with other titles in the fighting genre
A comparison with other major titles in the genre further highlights the magnitude of Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero's . Games like Street Fighter 6 , Tekken 8 , and Mortal Kombat 1 , despite large marketing campaigns, failed to reach the same number of simultaneous players. While Street Fighter 6 led with 70,000 players, Tekken 8 and Mortal Kombat 1 registered 50,000 and 38,000, respectively.
This result puts the game in a prominent position among fighting games, opening the possibility of a new successful chapter for the franchise in the competitive scene and in the hearts of fans.
Over 180 playable characters
Another aspect that sets the game apart is the number of playable characters available from launch. There are 182 fighters in total, an impressive number that includes all phases of the Dragon Ball universe. From classic characters to the most recent additions, such as the protagonists of Dragon Ball Super, and even the new version of Goku that will appear in the upcoming anime, Dragon Ball Daima, scheduled to premiere this year.
This diverse cast of characters not only expands the gameplay possibilities but also attracts different generations of fans of the franchise, from those who followed the early sagas of the anime to those who became familiar with the series in its more recent phases. Furthermore, the refined gameplay and new combat mechanics make Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero a natural evolution from previous titles, offering players an intense and varied fighting experience.
Expectations for the official release of Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero
With the release of the Standard Edition on October 11th, the expectation is that the number of simultaneous players will increase even further. The arrival of new players, who have not yet had access to the game, will boost this growth, either because they were waiting for a more accessible edition or because they play on other platforms, such as PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series.