Koei Tecmo Have No Plans to Bring Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 West – But Who Knows Why?

It seems that from recent comments on the official Dead or Alive Game Facebook page that Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 will not be heading west. In response to a comment asking if it will be coming to the EU and US the page replied: “We do not bring DOAX3 to the west and won’t have any plan change in the future. Thank you for asking.” But why?

 

In the comments thread on that comment the Dead or Alive Game Facebook page later went on by saying:

 

“Do you know many issues happening in video game industry with regard to how to treat female in video game industry? We do not want to talk those things here. But certainly we have gone through in last year or two to come to our decision. Thank you.”

This comment has resulted in the wrath of the usual suspects, #Gamergaters claiming that “SJWs” have ruined their games yet again. Even Play Asia have pitched in, tactfully throwing in with that crowd, calling the situation “SJW nonsense”.

 

hayashi_600 Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 West
Yosuke Hayashi – Image from Shoryuken

 

While developer Team Ninja head Yosuke Hayashi had previously teased the possibility of a western release if fans wanted it enough, he also seemed to be as aware as ever of the representation of its characters in the game. In the same interview where he said this he was also keen to let fans know that the game would not only have female characters (update: this was a mistranslation, though community polls reveal the fanbase were open to idea).

 

Frankly I find it hard to believe that they wouldn’t bring the game over because of fear of backlash. It’s not stopped them in the past, and there are even many current releases with a “sexy” edge coming out recently and in the near future. Gal*Gun is even apparently getting a worldwide release. Gal*Gun. I find it a little doubtful that those would be the full reasons for Dead or Alive Xtreme 3‘s absence in the west, and one I’ll be waiting on a proper response from Koei Tecmo for before believing. There’s only so much stock you can put in a comment on another Facebook comment.

 

dead-or-alive-xtreme-3_2015_08-21-15_001_jpg_600 Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 West

 

Many of Rice’s staff have at some point been official or unofficial community managers, and from experience it’s doubtful someone making a Facebook comment like the one quoted would know the whole story as to why Koei Tecmo would not be bringing the game west. With big game releases miscommunication happens all the time. If there was money to be made I can’t possibly believe Koei Tecmo would not bring Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 west merely because of fears of backlash.

 

It’s also worth noting that Koei Tecmo had a disappointing fiscal year with its non-licensed game releases.

 

It’s always sad when a game people are excited for from Japan does not make its way westward. It’s strange that it isn’t, as I’m sure many publishers would jump at the chance to publish Dead or Alive Xtreme 3. Whatever the real reasons are as to why it’s not being published in the west, it’s worth knowing that there will be an English Asia version available of the game.

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