Dead or Alive Xtreme 3
A sports game with beach volleyball and character interaction.
Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 is a sports title from 2016, created by Team Ninja and put out by Koei Tecmo. It hit shelves on March 24, 2016, in two versions: *Fortune* for the PlayStation 4 and *Venus* for the PlayStation Vita. A later update, *Dead or Alive Xtreme 3: Scarlet*, arrived for both the PS4 and Nintendo Switch on March 20, 2019.
The game plays from a third-person perspective and brings back the camera mode seen in earlier *Dead or Alive Xtreme* entries. It offers several modes, including beach volleyball and a "butt battle" mini-game. Other activities include beach flag races and rock climbing. Only the PlayStation 4 version shows tan lines and swimsuit malfunctions. A new suntanning system is also present. Costumes are character-specific, so unlocking one for a character does not make it available for others. Girl Mode lets players directly control a selected character, while Owner Mode puts them in charge of a different island. Players can also take characters on dates. A paid DLC add-on called Photo Paradise, released in September 2016, allowed for gravure-style photos of the heroines in various poses and swimsuits. The Vita version uses its touch panel and gyro sensor, and the PS4 later got virtual reality support.
Team Ninja head Yosuke Hayashi first mentioned the game’s development at the Dead or Alive Festival on August 1, 2015. It was officially revealed in Famitsu a week later, with screenshots following on August 21. The PS4 version uses an upgraded breast physics engine from *Dead or Alive 5 Last Round* called Soft Engine 2.0, while the Vita uses Soft Engine Lite. This engine also improves realism in clothing wetness and deformation. The PS4 version works with PlayStation VR. Originally set for February 25, 2016, the release was pushed to March. A free-to-play version came out on May 16, 2016, letting players try all features but only as Kasumi; other characters cost extra. A PSVR patch was planned for October 13, 2016, but was delayed until January 24, 2017. At the 2018 Dead or Alive festival in Japan, Koei Tecmo announced *Scarlet* for PS4 and Switch, launching March 20, 2019, with pre-orders starting November 19, 2018.
The original game’s nine playable female characters came from the 15 in *Dead or Alive 5 Last Round*, chosen by the most downloaded paid character themes on the PlayStation Store in Japan.
- Developer
- Team Ninja
- Publisher
- Koei Tecmo
- Initial release date
- March 24, 2016
- Platforms
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Switch
- Genre
- Sports video game
- Notable versions
- Fortune (PS4), Venus (PS Vita), Scarlet (PS4/Switch)
Lore & Background
Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 was first disclosed by Team Ninja head Yosuke Hayashi during Dead or Alive Festival on August 1, 2015, and officially unveiled one week later in Famitsu. The PlayStation 4 version features an improved breast physics engine called Soft Engine 2.0, while the PlayStation Vita version uses Soft Engine Lite. The game includes modes such as beach volleyball, butt battle, beach flag, rock climbing, Girl Mode, and Owner Mode. A new suntanning system and a camera mode are also present. The PlayStation 4 version includes tan lines and swimsuit malfunctions, and later added virtual reality functionality via PlayStation VR.
Reader's Guide
Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 is significant as a niche sports game that generated strong sales in Asian markets, shipping 190,000 copies within a month. It sparked public debate about cultural differences in depicting women in video games, with Sony Interactive Entertainment president Shuhei Yoshida noting cultural differences between Europe/North America and Asia. The game's decision not to be released in Western territories led to a million-dollar offer from the developer of HuniePop for North American distribution rights. Play-Asia reported record pre-orders and sales for the game. The game's legacy includes the later release of Dead or Alive Xtreme 3: Scarlet in 2019, which added characters Leifang and Misaki from Xtreme Venus Vacation.
Did You Know?
- The PlayStation 4 version features tan lines and swimsuit malfunctions, while the PlayStation Vita version does not.
- A free-to-play version was released on May 16, 2016, allowing players to try the game with only Kasumi playable.
- The game's nine playable female characters were selected based on the most downloaded paid character themes from Dead or Alive 5 Last Round on the PlayStation Store, counting only Japanese downloads.
- Play-Asia reported that Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 broke their sales records, surpassing the previous record holder J-Stars Victory VS.
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