Koei Tecmo announced the first month's sales for Dead or Alive 6 in their quarterly earnings report, alongside a trailer for the first round of pirate costumes. The earnings report, which shows only the barest hint of an increase in sales year-on-year, revealed that Dead or Alive 6 sold 350,000 copies in its first month. While this may seem considerable for a niche Japanese fighter, Dead or Alive 6 released on three platforms worldwide, while Dead or Alive 5 released on just the Xbox 360 and PS3, in a staggered worldwide release over a week. Dead or Alive 5 sold over 500,000 units, albeit over a slightly longer period and during the holiday season. Considering Team Ninja hoped to orient Dead or Alive 6 to a wider audience by cutting back on jiggle physics, it's hard to say if the lower sales numbers are considered a success for Koei Tecmo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZYqPWvSF2o
Of course, much of the large-scale success of Dead or Alive 5 came from the oodles of DLC that it had. Consider Dead or Alive 5 Last Round: Core Fighters, a free version of the game with a very limited roster. Everything from characters and costumes to music and the story mode could be purchased individually, and all of the DLC combined totaled over $1200. Dead or Alive 6 is no different, bounding out of the gate with a free version, with additional characters and costumes to purchase if you so choose. Koei Tecmo isn't shy about the cost of their DLC, either, with the new Pirates of the 7 Seas set running you $20 for 13 costumes. This is part of the first season pass that will run you a staggering $92 for costumes through June, and it's clear where KT sees the money is.
Still, despite all of the DLC shenanigans, at its core, Dead or Alive 6 is a solid, if dated fighter. For all the changes that Koei Tecmo advertised before release, it's largely the same Dead or Alive, still packed with raunchiness and quick matches. Team Ninja is actively patching Dead or Alive 6 with some necessary features, so there's clearly some motivation to continue development. Koei Tecmo is also attempting to rehabilitate Dead or Alive's image by participating in tournaments, to limited success. Hopefully, these updates continue for the sake of a devoted fanbase.
