Free Step Dodge

Koei Tecmo has been playing it safe with their content for the last few years showcasing a familiar blueprint within their Tokyo Game Show live programming, but meanwhile the whole world is waiting for them to finally pull the trigger on a new game from a classic Team NINJA franchise. Regardless of what their collective fanbase and the rest of world would prefer to see, they do have a solid lineup of games including a reboot of Dynasty Warriors and the latest Atelier Saga, but will this be enough to please fans of the publisher?

They open up their show with Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake, which has been in the works since last year, and while it's not the most exciting game to watch from a visual perspective, it has remained a popular game franchise to engage with that sustains YouTube viewership and a primed based in...

Now is the time to enhance and expand your Koei Tecmo Library at a fraction of the cost. This sale also includes a wide range of DOA products, but it ends October 7th, so take advantage of it today! Become a member of FSD to begin your training and earn a reputation among our astute community!

Dead or Alive: Venus Vacation has been out for a long time, and over the past five years or so of the game lifespan we’ve started to see the regularly announced Venus (that aren't originally DOA girls) completely outnumber the OG fighters that made this series famous to begin with. Now the Dead or Alive name could be missing completely. Was this an oversight from Team NINJA? Could this be a separation of the fighting and volleyball series? Or could this even be the end of the DOA franchise in totality? There are many questions to ask, but we will not be equipped to know for sure until Tokyo Game Show 2024 where Koei Tecmo will air their live presentation.


What we do know is that Team NINJA will be releasing a new project surrounding the Venus Vacation name. We also know that this is one of the most lucrative productions within all of Koei Tecmo, sporting their best numbers to date...

Dead or Alive 7 & NINJA Gaiden 4 are constantly being discussed within the community, and for some players, they just can't see a future, or they demand one that doesn't work right away for Koei Tecmo. Something we all have in common is that we have all been there with our requests for the company. Even with the popular Dead or Alive Xtreme Venus Vacation players are stifled that there hasn't been an original Dead or Alive fighter since Tina joined several years ago and the trend continued once more today with the announcement of Meg who has been met so far with a mixed reception.

Team NINJA has been on the verge of not saying anything within 2024 at all outside of Rise of the Ronin accolades and release. Yasuda started the new year by sharing his future goals (which included him saying he wants to return to their classic franchises), there have even been rumors of a new Koei Tecmo division with Hayashi leading that subsidiary. We've also learned...

Koei Tecmo's underrated Atelier Saga franchise has finally been announced for XBOX after over 20 years of being on the NA market, and to make things even better, Team NINJA's complete Dead or Alive franchise is on sale for XBOX players. There are still some important games missing from XBOX including PS5 exclusive Rise of the Ronin, Nioh & recently announced Fairy Tail, but this is an improvement over what was. Atelier being included on XBOX systems is a direct response to the surveys that Koei Tecmo provides players.

The complete Dead or Alive collection on XBOX proves the value the system had with players:

• Dead or Alive 1 - 6.99
• Dead or Alive 2 - 10.49
• Dead or Alive 3 - 10.49
• Dead or Alive 4 - 13.99
• Dead or Alive 5 - 15.99
• Dead or Alive 6 - 11.99
• Dead or Alive 6 Digital Deluxe - 15.99
• Dead or Alive 6 Season Passes - Up to 60% off

This...

Here at FSD, we put everything that arrives at our doorstep under a microscope, and we examine it thoroughly to uncover the secrets of our favorite fighting franchise. Recently, one of our talented members found a way to unlock the deviant Raidou for the original DOA arcade version.

While this entire year has been fairly uneventful for video games as a whole (Team NINJA player or not) the Summer Games week was once again a poor replacement of E3 with far less access, far less fun and far less games, but it's what we had to work with on the road to Gamescom and Tokyo Game Show. Many expect that Team NINJA & Koei Tecmo will show off their next big games soon while also considering that TGS is right around the corner as the most likely spot for the game conglomerate to make an announcement.

Koei Tecmo stealth dropped Samurai Warriors 4 DX on Steam and shortly after that announced Dynasty Warriors: Origins that goes back to the hack and slash roots of the series while offering new possibilities. For instance, you will not select from a plethora of officers but rather play as one hero through a story mode that provides the best graphics seen...

Hello, KasumiLover, SovereignKnight_ on YouTube, and @Maso_Prince on X or Twitter here again to assist with another character I enjoy using: Naotora Ii of the Ii Clan!

In case you're new to to the Dead or Alive series, Naotora is not a native DOA character. Her home series is Samurai Warriors, where she was quite popular for not only her cute looks, but also her attack abilities that place emphasis on her fast, rapid powerful kicks. She debuted on March 17th, 2016 and is already gaining quite a bit of popularity with several DOA players and is shaking up the online field with her over the top attacks and abilities lifted almost completely from Samurai Warriors.

In this thread, I will cover a number of different areas in her game play, so that you can learn how how to use her move set safely, carefully, mindfully and efficiently. Because move properties are constantly changing and patches and updates come at certain times, I will continue to update this as often as I can. Below...

Last week Koei Tecmo stealth dropped Samurai Warriors 4 DX on Steam, and while it is one of the best games in the series and serves a purpose being released this way, it begs the question: does this strategy end with Samurai Warriors 4 DX or does this become a repetitive business pattern that brings their portfolio of titles to Steam; the strongest video game ecosystem on the market that becomes more and more dominant as time passes its natural course.

To my knowledge (and I could very well be wrong) this is the first time Koei Tecmo has shadow dropped a product meaning that there was no overhead or prior advertising; it just came out on a whim to the public. Some people would constitute DOA: Ultimate, Dead or Alive 3 & Dead or Alive 4 being backwards for XBOX ONE as a shadow drop, but it was announced by Phil Spencer in advance, and it was also a backwards compatibility update; not an official release.

This has also raised the question on many social media...

Thanks to the Dead or Alive 6 community and tournament organizers of Japan there will be a side tournament at EVO Japan 2024 this year. If you're a night owl we strongly encourage that you spectate this tournament tomorrow (April 27th 12am PT) at the official YeSU YouTube Channel. Don't forget to check out the bracket!

@Jotamide will be a participant at this tournament and is willing to share his tournament experience the following week! Remember to have little to no expectation for any type of Dead or Alive 7 announcement and just enjoy the showcase that the fighters put on for you after years of practice with Dead or Alive 6!

If I made any mistakes with player names in the notes, please let me know as there are some rough translations on YouTube for Japanese content. The Front-Page Photography Banner is by...

Koei Tecmo currently operates and profits from six different game development studios furthermore, they are adding a seventh studio this month that will completely focus on "AAA" games that are entirely independent of existing franchises which could explain their current financial situation as shown in their regular company reports. Legendary gameplay designer Yosuke Hayashi will be the leader of this new studio and he will also be serving as the executive vice president of Koei Tecmo's entertainment division.

Team NINJA's Master is so tight lipped on the subject to the point where he expressed nothing could be discussed pertaining to the new studio, not even with existing information. Which begs the question: will this studio really be independent of existing franchises? We will probably find out anytime now considering that it's extremely expensive to open a new studio; especially with no current project that would at least bring hype and ad revenue to help with losses from the...

The marketing of Stellar Blade has not only been genius, but it has created a compelling conversation to bring back sexualized content to the West. Dead or Alive has always been at the center of this discussion. It’s impossible to ignore it and this is the way it’s always been for both serious and casual players of the game.

Zakkurye & Punishere had been at the forefront of a battle pertaining to this topic across social media that went on and on for several days. It’s a battle of not only the game controversy but has shown the defined split within the community. The debate has not been pretty to say the least. What are your thoughts pertaining to this debate and also Stellar Blade and the hope that it is instilling to some gamers out there with censorship getting in the way of their entertainment.


Emery Reigns did a great job of taking all of this controversy and tying it up into one great video with a few...

FSD will not be providing maximum coverage for Rise of the Ronin until it comes out to PC, but news will continue to be posted for the PS5 timed-exclusive throughout its release period and also throughout the year if it sees additional content. While several critiques were posted early the official release date was set for March 22nd and that's when reviews really started flowing into Sony's "marketing machine" Metacritic also known as the pick and choose review mixer that provides Sony the best acclaim narrative possible. ALRIGHT, so I'm being cheeky there, but I'm also not the first to point out the flaws of this consensus website in contrast to the old and superior Game Rankings.

Rise of the Ronin just might be considered the red herring video game dirt sheets needed to claim they don't bow down to Sony for every overdone 250-million-dollar blockbuster third person reskin of Uncharted they make. Sadly, based on the information gathered; this is one of the...

On March 2nd of 2024 Team NINJA celebrated the 20th anniversary of the NINJA GAIDEN series under the Team NINJA banner and to great surprise they also hinted at a possibility of the series being revived. President Fumihiko Yasuda also commented on the occasion leaving the entire conversation up for debate whether or not NINJA GAIDEN would be the next masterpiece from the illustrious Team NINJA. Though the great debate of what's coming next has been widely discussed we will recap and back the statements made by the president himself.

The signs have actually been pointing to a new NINJA GAIDEN and or at another Dead or Alive for multiple years and the question hasn't really been when more than it has been the order of in which they will appear. If another Nioh is announced or a completely different franchise it should be considered a complete shock to the system as this would not align with anything Team NINJA has said publicly in the past two...

Due to health concerns and surgery, Big E from Big E Gaming had no choice but to cancel Winter Brawl 2024 where Dead or Alive 5: Last Round was once again advertised as a main event game. Sometimes you have to put other things on hold so that you can be the best you for the future, and we at FSD wish Big E a speedy recovery so that he can get back to what he does best and that is of course serving the fighting game community. If you purchased a fighting pass you can expect your refund within the next thirty days.

While I do not know Big E personally, it's undeniable that his characteristics contribute heavily to the survival of Dead or Alive. I don't think anyone can argue that some of the best moments in the history of the franchise happened at a Big E tournament and we find it paramount that DOA will return to one of his events given that his health is first back on track. Big E will be undergoing surgery as early as next week due to a concerning heart issue with...

This year at Frosty Faustings XVI the Dead or Alive 6 World Champion and organizer of this event Hoodless was not able to make it due to a surgery, but despite this unfortunate setback, Juniper and or of Matchstick Melee was able to spring into action and run the event with a full camera stream for the players that dedicated the time to showcase their incredible skill within the Dead or Alive 6 meta. As I've mentioned prior to this writeup, the Grand Final here at FFXVI is one of the best the game has seen since it launched, and if you've followed the game at all you owe it to yourself to give it a proper viewing.

Congratulations to Neko for winning this event with Honoka, and we wish Hoodless a speedy recovery.


The first match in this Tina mirror set started...

We wish everyone a happy New Year here at Free Step Dodge and would like to take a minute to thank the readers and contributors of the longest running Dead or Alive website in the world for continuing to support us with your viewership, donations and thoughtful comments. This past year we delved deep into the inner mind of the Koei Tecmo business model, explored their other games passionately and kept DOA tournaments a major highlight whether it was Dead or Alive 2: Ultimate, Dead or Alive 3 ++, Dead or Alive 5 and of course Dead or Alive 6. At FSD we will continue to entertain, educate and delight you with a razor-sharp community that knows the ins and outs of Team NINJA along with our Indepth front page news articles.

I truly do believe there is every type of Team NINJA player here possible including: veterans such as Rikuto and Ponton that can give you the absolute best gameplay advice, we have active modders posting that can whip up just about anything...

There was no intention of me writing this as a professional news article because I really am in distinct shock, and I'm sure there will be more articles pertaining to Yohei Shimbori in the near future that will go that route but for now let's just take it in as the holy shit moment that it is.

At first, I will admit that I had to check multiple sources to believe this was real, but Yohei Shimbori is now a Producer/Director Assistant for Tekken 8. Now I think while that it is indeed a surprise; it should not be of a surprise to most of us because of all of the signs Dead or Alive players have seen throughout the development cycle of Tekken 8. This brand jump to say the least has made things interesting as there are going to be a lot of former doubters or even advocates of Shimbori at Koei Tecmo thinking "well maybe it's time we show the world we don't need Shimbori" or "this might be a way to open up business and make some...

Team NINJA's latest Action-Adventure RPG, Rise of the Ronin is set to release early next year, which is many months earlier than expected due to the lack of general information provided for the game over 2023. This new trailer provides us with a lot of information, gives us a sense of what the level scale will look like and shows off Team NINJA's masterful execution of in game animation. The storytelling and narration from the main character was perhaps the most intriguing factor, and the main character is not only strong; but perceptive as well.

"It is said that time marches to the beat of a drum. A fleeting moment can feel like a lifetime for those caught in its deadly rhythm, and a lifetime can pass in the blink of an eye for anyone embracing its bitter end. The only thing we know for sure is that time marches forward.

Without hesitation. Without remorse. If the drum drives the rhythm than the river directs the...

Dead or Alive 3 & Dead or Alive 6 both made appearances at NEC 23, but unfortunately, they were not on the official streams for the game at one of Big E's biggest tournaments of the year. Thankfully, Matt Ponton came in with the "grass roots camera save" and because of that the community can witness DOA3's Top 4 plus one hour of DOA6 matches. If these videos are uploaded to any other social platform we will include the videos, but as of now they are exclusively on Free Step Dodge's Twitch. Please also consider subscribing to Matt Ponton's Official Twitch for even more Team NINJA content as well as solid gaming for other games by our FSD Founder.

Matt Ponton started things off with Scarlett Rev in a FT3 that was a very one-sided match in Ponton's favor. Bass destroyed Scarlett's Hayabusa with insane wall-damage, ground tech and...

Don't forget to tune in to this growing Dead or Alive 3 ++ tournament scene presented by Brooklyn Video Games! Matt Ponton is the featured player, and he's always willing to give advice and share wisdom with other fighters that show up! The entry for DOA3++ is free with a guaranteed prize pot of 150 USD. To those spectating, please enjoy this one-of-a-kind, old-school experience! This is said all the time, but how can you not appreciate the graphics and animation of this game despite being over two decades old?


Noteworthy Achievements at this Dead or Alive 3 Tournament:

- Cyg gets a match victory over Matt Ponton which could be the first time this has happened all year across all Dead or Alive 3 events.
- All players are improving since last Brooklyn performance.
- Matt Ponton has won his 4th consecutive Dead or Alive 3 tournament.
- Brooklyn...