Having a “killer app” – a hugely popular game – gives a console a special edge, strongly associating it with that particular release. This idea dates back to the beginning of console gaming, with titles like Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog being the games everyone had to have with the original Nintendo and Sega Genesis consoles. This trend continues today, as games like Mario Kart World are expected to be a major draw for the Nintendo Switch 2.
As a long-time Xbox fan, I remember how important certain games were for the consoles themselves. Like, Halo: Combat Evolved wasn’t just a great game, it really helped launch the original Xbox! Then a few years later, Dead or Alive 4 did the same thing for the 360 – it was huge when it came out. Looking back after twenty years, it’s amazing to see just how successful that game was, how much it influenced fighting games, and how it ended up being a real high point for the original Team Ninja crew before things changed for them.
Dead Or Alive 4 Was One Of The Xbox 360’s First Early Hits
Today marks the 20th anniversary of Dead or Alive 4, a standout title in the series and a key game for the launch of the Xbox 360. It was the last Dead or Alive game released before the merger with Koei Tecmo dramatically changed the franchise. Like Dead or Alive 3, which helped launch the original Xbox in 2001, Dead or Alive 4 was intended as a reward for gamers who were early adopters of the Xbox 360. Unfortunately, the game’s release was delayed by a month.
The extra development time actually benefited the game, giving the team at Team Ninja – known for their success with Xbox titles like Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden – the chance to polish the gameplay and add more characters. Dead or Alive 4 built upon its predecessor with a refined fighting system, particularly an improved counter system that felt innovative for the genre. A unique crossover with Halo, featuring the Spartan-458 character, further solidified the game’s place as a flagship title for the Xbox.
Dead or Alive 4 was a big hit with both critics and players, selling over a million copies in just six months. It also became a popular esports title and introduced features like customizable avatars and virtual worlds that are now common in online fighting games. For Koei and Team Ninja, it was a major success – one of the best launch titles for the Xbox 360 and a standout in the Dead or Alive series. Sadly, it proved to be the last Dead or Alive game before significant changes occurred within the development team.
Dead Or Alive 4 Ended Koei’s Solo Era
Team Ninja started considering a new Dead or Alive game, Dead or Alive 5, as early as 2006. However, in 2008, the series creator, Tomonobu Itagaki, announced that he believed Dead or Alive 4 was the high point of the franchise, suggesting the series might end. While that seemed to be the case initially, problems within Tecmo soon halted development. Lawsuits and claims of unpaid wages eventually led to Itagaki’s departure from the company.
After these changes, Tecmo joined forces with Koei in 2009 to create Tecmo Koei Games. Team Ninja still operated, but it wasn’t the same team that originally made popular games like Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden. While the new company released titles such as Dead or Alive Paradise for the PSP and Dead or Alive 5, these games didn’t receive the same positive feedback or sell as well as Dead or Alive 4. These later games also moved away from being exclusive to Xbox, becoming available on consoles like the PlayStation 4.
The Dead or Alive series hasn’t seen a new release since 2019’s Dead or Alive 6, and this lack of activity was even mentioned by Tekken 8‘s producer, Katsuhiro Harada, as the reason a crossover with Tekken won’t happen. Dead or Alive 4 was a high point for the series, a time when it seriously challenged established fighting game giants like Virtua Fighter, Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, and Tekken. In many ways, Dead or Alive 4 shows how quickly a promising franchise can falter. However, fighting game fans remember Dead or Alive 4‘s success and its role in helping the Xbox 360 become a popular console.
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2025-12-30 01:17