Dead or Alive 6 Last Round
Developed by Team Ninja · Koei Tecmo
Fighting · PS5 · 2026-06-25
“A seven year old fighting game in a fresh dress, sold to you as a birthday present that is mostly for the studio.”
So this is the plan for the thirtieth anniversary. Take Dead or Alive 6, a 2019 game, add a photo mode and five costumes, slap Last Round on the box, and call it a celebration. To be fair, the DOA series has always known exactly what it is and never apologised for it, which is more honesty than most fighters can manage. But a re release that finally includes the DLC characters is still a patch with a price tag in a tuxedo.
The 29 fighter roster is the genuinely good news, 24 base characters plus the five DLC faces that should have been there the first time, and the combat underneath is still Team Ninja's slick triangle of strike, throw and hold. Photo mode is a nice toy. New costumes for Kasumi and Marie Rose are exactly what this audience shows up for. Nobody is confused about who this is built for.
The honest part is buried in the announcement. Team Ninja calls Last Round a technical bridge to Dead or Alive 7. Translation, this exists to keep the lights on and the servers warm while the real sequel cooks. That is not a crime, but do not dress a placeholder as a milestone. The free to play version is the smart move here, because it lets curious players try before the full price ask arrives.
- 01
The 29 character roster finally bundles the DOA6 DLC fighters instead of nickel and diming them.
- 02
Team Ninja's strike, throw and hold combat remains some of the most readable in the genre.
- 03
A free to play version lets newcomers test the waters before paying full price.
- 04
It keeps the series visibly alive heading into the thirtieth anniversary and Dead or Alive 7.
- 01
The core game is from 2019, dressed up rather than rebuilt.
- 02
Photo mode and five costumes is a thin headline for a flagship anniversary release.
- 03
Calling a re release a technical bridge openly admits it is filler, not a destination.
- 04
It is PS5 only, so anyone who owned DOA6 elsewhere starts the collection over.
Lapsed DOA fans and fighting game players who never grabbed the DLC and want the complete package on current hardware.
Anyone who already owns DOA6 with its characters and is hoping for an actual new game instead of a polished encore.
Your website, CV, or whatever you made. I'll roast that too.
A full teardown from €2,99. No mercy.