Dead or Alive 6 was announced at E3 2018 and saw a huge response from series fans and fighting game lovers alike. The game is available to the public for the first time at the 2018 Evolution Championship Series, and we took the opportunity to sit down with Dead or Alive 6 director and producer, Yohei Shimbori, as well as Creative Director, Tom Lee. After our initial interview, we went back to ask a few follow-up questions, so we've broken the interview into part one (our original interview) and part two (our follow-up questions).

Part One

Why do you feel the time is right to do DOA6 right now?

Yohei Shimbori: It’s because six years have passed [laughs].

It was time for us to restart, in terms of having new players coming into the franchise, and also the timing that the team wanted to start moving on to the next step.

How have the fighting game community and general audiences responded to the initial announcement?

YS: There are various responses. The main concept [of DOA] has become more serious, and there’s been a lot of feedback regarding that. Some people may be happy, some people may be anxious about it because the game may be way different, although it’s not totally opposite.

Do you feel those people may be anxious about the cosmetic changes that were made to certain character's sexual appeal?

YS: I got a lot of feedback worrying about that. The costumes that we have been showcasing are only a part of the game. But I don’t want everyone to be worried because we’re expecting a lot more costumes coming out.

Were you surprised by that particular piece of feedback, or is that something you were expecting?

YS: I wasn’t surprised at all. I actually expected that and I understand it as well. I expect that those worries will be gradually resolved, because we’re just showcasing the stuff that the team can [show] at this point in development. We don’t plan to do something very extreme, and I would like to tell the fans, "Don’t worry."

Dead or Alive 5 launched with 24 characters. Should we expect DOA6 to launch with roughly the same number of characters?

YS: Currently we’re in the midst of development, and we don’t actually set a particular goal. There’s limited time in terms of business and the corporate aspect.

Tom Lee: There’s not a character quota or anything.

What steps are you taking to improve the netcode in DOA6 compared to previous DOA games?

YS: There’s a technical specialist on the team that’s actually working on [the game specifically] for the netcode. The programmer is very confident about this, just saying, “Leave it to me!”

TL: We are definitely addressing those issues.

The sidestep was changed from the E3 build to the Evo build. The changes removed the ability to evade throws. Are there any plans to make the sidestep evade throws?

YS: The sidestep is a sidestep. My understanding is that a sidestep cannot actually evade throws, and that was actually from DOA5. I made it a side attack in the E3 build, so technically in the triangle system concept it’s literally evading the throw because it’s an attack. [Editor's Note: Attacks beat throws in the triangle system DOA uses.]

However the changes that we made, given the feedback from the E3 build which actually had the side attack that enabled it to evade throws, we actually made a change to make sidesteps [a separate action]. However, there’s still a side attack that will, as a result, evade throws, but the sidestep itself can’t evade throws.

Can we expect DOA6 to be playable at Gamescom and Tokyo Game Show? Are you planning to take the game to tournaments as well?

TL: We definitely have plans to take it to other events, like Gamescom, all the way up until next year, heading into launch. In terms of tournaments, we haven’t decided.

YS: Gamescom, TGS, we have plans to have playable builds at both. And we plan to increase the number of characters every time, so please look forward to that when we reveal returning characters. We’re still considering [having the game] at tournaments.

Part Two

Do you have any plans to release a beta or demo before launch?

YS: It’s under consideration, but no promises.

How has the ground game changed? Can you still force tech an opponent, or are there changes to the ground game?

YS: We’re still working on it right now. In other versions, the opponent that’s been [kicked on the ground] actually gets up. The difference now is that when the opponent has been kicked [while on the ground], the player can actually choose to have their character get up or just remain laying down. So it doesn’t automatically [force them up]; the character is not forced to stand up.

TL: So basically, after an opponent is taken down... Before in the ground game, you would automatically be propped back up. But right now, in this version, you have the option of staying down.

Will forced tech still be a factor in the ground game?

YS: Basically, no. It’s going to be a game where the player actually needs to start thinking about it and how to [adapt.]

Break Hold can be used during a Fatal Stun. Can you also use Break Hold during other stuns?

YS: Yes, but not when the character is backturned.

What about stuns that you normally can’t counter out of (sitdown stun for example)?

YS: You should be able to. It should work.

Many attacks in DOA are not safe when blocked, or disadvantage when blocked, which causes a unique mind game. Most other 3D fighting games have a lot more attacks that are safe or offer frame advantage when blocked. Will DOA6 offer more attacks that are safe or give frame advantage when blocked?

YS: I consider DOA to be a literal mind game from the very start. The throw feature is actually one of the main moves that will affect the flow of the game. There are some guard break attacks that will give frame advantage such as Diego’s shoulder charge which is plus one frame advantage, which further plays into the mind game aspect of DOA.

So there are going to me more moves in this game that are safer and won’t allow for punishment compared to older DOA games?

TL: Exactly

YS: They all have some characteristics individually, and there are a bunch of moves that were [added].

TL: It’s a universal system that works for every character. Every character has their own individual balancing in that area.

That’s all we have for now, but we'll be sure to keep you updated throughout the development of Dead or Alive 6. The game is set to release in early 2019 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC via Steam. Once again, we’d like to thank Yohei Shimbori, Tom Lee and the team at Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja for providing us with this opportunity.