Bandai Namco Entertainment’s 3D arena fighter Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO has won a Grand Award at the 2025 PlayStation Japan/Asia Partner Awards, meaning it was one of the top five best-selling games developed in Asia for the PS in the past year. During the awards ceremony held on December 3, the title’s producer Jun Furutani and marketing lead Yuya Iijima shed light on the game’s enduring popularity (source: PlayStation Blog).
Releasing in October 2024 after a whopping 17-year gap in the Budokai Tenkaichi series, Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO immediately found success among fans of the IP, selling over 3 million copies in 24 hours and later celebrating its 5 million milestone. It seems the popularity hasn’t been short-lived either, as Furutani reveals that “even now, a year after release, over one million people play the game every month.”
While acknowledging that a big factor behind the success is the popularity of the Dragon Ball franchise itself, Furutani believes his team managed to hit a sweet spot when it comes to designing Sparking Zero’s combat and creating immersion.
“I think it ultimately comes down to how thoroughly players can experience battles that feel authentically Dragon Ball. For example, if Vegeta fires a Galick Gun, instead of needing to dodge like you would in a typical fighting game, you can counter it with a Kamehameha. I get the sense that many players enjoy this kind of Dragon Ball-style way of fighting. I think one of the reasons for its popularity is the legitimate evolution of adding actions that pursue a Dragon Ball-like feel without changing the core battle system.” In other words, on top of the Budokai Tenkaichi’s established gameplay systems, the added potential for role-play is what has made Sparking Zero special for Dragon Ball fans.
Additionally, the developers mention that their efforts towards improving the game’s accessibility have allowed the game to reach a wide range of age groups, from old veterans to kids.
Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam)
