It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly a full decade since Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 launched, but here we are. After 10 strong years, fans finally got the confirmation they had been waiting for. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 is happening, and the wait isn’t going to be too long, either. The next chapter in this Dragon Ball action RPG series is set to come out sometime in 2027, making Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 one of next year’s most exciting releases.
The Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 announcement was one of the biggest reveals at this year’s Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour. It was previously under the working title “Age 1000,” but the massive Dragon Ball event ended up surprising a lot of fans with the project’s real identity. Xenoverse was a solid base to build an action RPG series from, but Xenoverse 2 was a far greater success. The sequel wasn’t just a bigger version of its predecessor. It refined much of the gameplay, which paved the way for a game that would continue to go strong for a decade. Now that Xenoverse 3 is on the way, it has some really big shoes to fill.
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Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 Doesn’t Necessarily Have to Go Bigger, But It Does Have to Dive Deeper
Like many sequels, Xenoverse 2 brought forth a bigger game. Conton City was considerably larger than the first Xenoverse‘s Toki Toki City, so it might only be natural to assume that Xenoverse 3 is also going to upgrade the size of its world. Xenoverse 3 is set in West City, a high-tech metropolis that already looks perfect for exploring. Just because Xenoverse 3 can go even bigger with its city doesn’t mean it should, though. It’s natural for follow-ups to aim for a wider scope. Bringing more to the table through mechanics and player freedom may be more rewarding than simply going bigger, though. There are plenty of ways that Xenoverse 3 could make itself one of the best Dragon Ball games around, and starting with its characters customization is an ideal place to start.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
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Xenoverse 3 Needs to Embrace More Detailed Character Customization
There are a lot of games with great character customization to choose from out there. Xenoverse 3 doesn’t necessarily have to be as detailed as games like Elden Ring or Baldur’s Gate 3, but having more flexibility and freedom with a character’s design is a must. If Xenoverse 3‘s character creation is only a little bit better than the last game, then a decade’s worth of waiting won’t exactly feel like it’s paying off. This applies to nearly every feature, really. Character creation is one of the best ways to really one-up Xenoverse 2, though. Here are just a few of the ways that Xenoverse 3 can make character building even better:
- More extensive hair and face options
- Detailed for height and weight
- Color wheel instead of preset colors
- Customizable transformations
- More race options
Expectations around character creation systems have changed a lot in the last 10 years. Being able to make a meticulously detailed character helps fully immerse players, and Xenoverse 3 is hopefully taking this into account. It’s not like Xenoverse 2 has a bad character builder, though. It’s still one of the best character creation RPGs of the past decade, but it can definitely be taken a few steps further.
More Dragon Ball races need to be added to the mix, too. This is a must. Xenoverse 2‘s character creator is good, but players can only pick between five races. If Xenoverse 3 doesn’t add races like Androids and Demons into the mix, it would be pretty surprising. There is so much more material to work with in that regard. Even if Xenoverse 3‘s character creator was a copy and paste of its predecessor, throwing new races into the mix would at least offer more variety for players.
The Finer Details Are What is Really Going to Separate Xenoverse 3 From the Past Games
Things like hair and features changing during transformations, more rewarding PvE encounters, and improved Raids are going to go a long way. Xenoverse 3 would benefit greatly from looking to the best RPGs of the last 10 years for inspiration that goes beyond character customization. Immersion doesn’t just come from the perfect custom character. It comes from feeling like an extension of a game’s world through gameplay.
Combat in general needs to be more refined and dynamic. Punishing and unique multi-phase boss fights and encounters that require more in-depth teamwork can take Xenoverse 3‘s combat to a new level. Of course, that’s easier said than done. However, expanding the multiplayer in a way that takes note of how games like Elden Ring Nightreign and Helldivers 2 approach team-based fighting would be intriguing to see. When it comes to Parallel Quests, deeper boss challenges that actually prove to be sweat-inducing and are rewarding instead of feeling like overpowered NPCs are going to be necessary.
A moral alignment system tied to in-game choices would also be a bold way to set Xenoverse 3 apart from past entries. Instead of a full-blown hero/villain spectrum, it could be more of a hero/anti-hero balance in order to keep in theme with the Time Patrol’s core goal.
Xenoverse 3’s News Cycle is Just Getting Started
As exciting as the Xenoverse 3 trailer was, there wasn’t really a lot of information to go off of. Besides the new West City location and teasing new Akira Toriyama characters, the finer Xenoverse 3 details are a huge mystery. There isn’t even an official release date set in stone yet. It hopefully launches earlier in 2027, but only time will tell. After GTA 6 comes out later this year in November, it may create a post-launch splash zone that a lot of developers will want to avoid for several months. So, Xenoverse 3‘s release date is going to stay in the shadows until Dimps and Bandai Namco feel like making an announcement.
Until then, the wait for more Xenoverse 3 news is now underway. Dragon Ball‘s 40-year legacy can’t be understated. To this day, it’s still one of the best animes of all time. Another Xenoverse game is a great addition to the roster, because the series has introduced some of the most satisfying Dragon Ball games ever. This third chapter can hopefully live up to the huge expectations that its predecessor and the evolution of RPGs in general have set for it.
- Released
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2027
- ESRB
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Rating Pending
