Bandai Namco has announced the Dragon Ball Fighters, the latest fighting game based off the popular Dragon Ball series, for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC developed by Arc System Works (Guilty Gear, BlazBlue) and set to have a worldwide release in early 2018.
Unlike Xenoverse — and many of the Dragon Ball-inspired games before it — Fighters will be in 2.5D, making it closer in-line with traditional fighting games. However, what isn’t traditional is the setup. The game will feature 3v3 combat (think Marvel vs Capcom 2), so players will be able to pick a team of their favorite fighters and go head-to-head against others. There is no mention of whether there will be anything like team or assist attacks, but in true Dragon Ball fashion, Bandai Namco promised there will plenty of “ultra high speed battles” and “flashy special moves” for players to enjoy.
Going back to 2.5D after so long might seem like an odd step, especially after having been 3D for so long, but producer Tomoko Hiroki, stated it was chosen because there are certain feats that can only be accomplished in that style. He mentions that Dragon Ball Fighters will look like 2D animation initially, but actually has a wider range of expression since Bandai Namco can shift camera angles and utilize production that 2D alone would be incapable of.
This announcement came ahead of schedule (supposed to be on June 18). The official Japanese website will be available here when the game is officially announced.
