Games

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Player Count Hits a New Low

Published

2 weeks ago

November 7, 2024

Christoph Rediske

Key Takeaways

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero has lost 89% of its peak player count on Steam just one month after its release.
It’s unclear how well the game is doing on PlayStation and Xbox.
While the game has earned positive reviews, players continue to struggle with hackers and balancing issues.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero has lost 89% of its all-time peak player count on Steam just one month after its release. Sales of Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero were sky-high following its October launch, but the future is beginning to look grim for the fighting title on PC.

Marking the long-awaited return of the Budokai Tenkaichi series, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero was an instant hit with players following its October 7 release. The game managed to sell over three million copies worldwide in its first 24 hours, with Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero‘s all-time peak player count on Steam ballooning to 122,554 players. Fans have applauded the title’s cel-shaded graphics and ultra-fast combat, but unfortunately, it looks like these high points haven’t saved Sparking Zero from facing a massive dip in PC players.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Mod Adds Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Nemona to the Game

A mod makes it possible to add Nemona from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet into the recently released fighting game Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero.

As of this writing, the peak player count for Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero on Steam is 14,303 (according to SteamDB), marking an almost 90% drop from its best day. For the most part, this decline has been going steady since the game’s release date, though it’s unclear how well it’s faring on PlayStation and Xbox. Reviews for Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero have been glowing, with critics and players alike consistently praising the title’s addictive gameplay loop and Custom Battle mode. Criticism has been drawn for its poor battle camera and underwhelming Episode Battle mode, but there seems to be more behind the game’s rapid decrease in traffic.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Has Lost Almost 90% of Its Player Count On Steam

Recently, the developer of the game announced that players using mods in Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Custom Battles would be banned, as cheaters and those adding NSFW content have continued to be an issue. Days after the game’s launch, hackers were found to be continuously refilling their Ki meter, enabling them to continuously attack with zero penalties. Additionally, the title aims to be true to Dragon Ball canon, with some characters far more powerful than others. Characters like Goku Black and Gogeta Super Saiyan 4 frequently dominate match-ups, prompting complaints from the community about the title’s balancing issues.

In mid-October, Spike Chunsoft teased that Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero would be adding Dragon Ball: Daima characters to the title’s roster with its second round of DLC in early 2025. Vegeta (Mini) and Glorio will join the fray, representing the newest anime series in the Dragon Ball franchise and the last to be written by its creator Akira Toriyama prior to his passing in March 2024. More characters from Daima are scheduled to be added in the game’s third DLC pack, scheduled for release in Q2 2025.

DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO takes the legendary gameplay of the Budokai Tenkaichi series and raises it to whole new levels. Become a super warrior and experience the earth-shaking, limit-breaking power of DRAGON BALL battles!

Unleash the strength of over 180 fighters from DRAGON BALL Z, DRAGON BALL Super, DRAGON BALL GT, and selected DRAGON BALL movies, all in the base game! Each character comes with their own signature abilities, transformations, and techniques.

Make the destructive power of the strongest fighters ever to appear in DRAGON BALL yours!

Engage in heart-pounding, high-speed 3D battles that stay true to the anime and video game series, with breathtaking visuals and authentic combat moves like beam clashes, rush attacks, movements too quick for the eyes to see, and planet-razing ultimate attacks.

Challenge other players online to test your skills, or sit down with friends offline to hone your skills exclusively in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber! Fight your way to become a champion across various tournament modes and victory conditions.

Conquer the action-packed battles from the beloved original story, or discover and unlock new encounters for your favorite Z-Fighters and more. Relive your favorite moments from the series through cutscenes you can experience from the perspectives of eight characters!

Recreate your favorite battles from throughout the DRAGON BALL story, or set up your dream story battle with your favorite characters! Share your creations with other fans and experience the battles brought to life by imaginations around the world.

Released: October 11, 2024
Publisher(s): Namco Bandai
Multiplayer: Online Multiplayer
Engine: proprietary engine
ESRB: T For Teen Due To Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
How Long To Beat: 8 Hours
How Long To Beat (Completionist Runs): 80 Hours
PS Plus Availability: N/A
Split Screen Orientation: Vertical
Local Co-Op Support: 1-2 Players
OpenCritic Rating: Strong
Early Access Release: October 7, 2024