What Xenoverse 3 Is and Why the 50/50 Split Matters
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 is a next-generation fighting game and action RPG that divides its development resources evenly between a cinematic single-player Dragon Ball game story mode and a wide, online sandbox gameplay suite to create a hybrid experience for both narrative and competitive fans. Set in Age 1000, the game brings players back as Time Patrollers, now operating in a future West City that acts as both home base and battleground. Producer Masayuki Hirano describes Xenoverse’s genre space as unique because it offers a “definitive, highly engaging campaign” while also functioning as a “massive online sandbox to tackle with friends.” That clear 50/50 development split signals a design philosophy: solo story and multiplayer systems are being built side by side, not as primary mode and add-on, but as two equal pillars holding up the next stage of Xenoverse 3 development.
Age 1000, West City, and a Story Built with Toriyama
Bandai Namco is using Age 1000 to distinguish Xenoverse 3 from past entries and from Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot’s retelling of classic arcs. West City has grown into a major future hub, and your custom hero lives a double life: a student at West City University and a member of the Great Saiya Squad stepping into cosmic battles. The story adds a new cast—Brett, Lilica, ROM, and Tap—woven into this future era alongside familiar faces like Bulma and Gamma 1. Hirano notes that Akira Toriyama was heavily involved in shaping Age 1000’s worldview and character designs, turning the setting into a sandbox rooted in his ideas. Systems like Soul Switching and Soul Assist tie directly into the narrative, explaining how original avatars interact with legendary fighters while keeping the focus on a fresh Dragon Ball game story mode instead of rehashing past sagas.
Single-Player Campaign: A Dedicated Time Patrol Journey
Even with its online ambitions, Xenoverse 3 nails down its main campaign as a dedicated single-player experience. The structure echoes Xenoverse 1 and 2, focusing on the Great Saiya (or GS) Squad and your avatar’s personal journey through Age 1000’s mysteries. You balance campus life with patrol duties, interact with new and returning characters, and uncover why future technology enables Soul Switching between original heroes and iconic roster fighters. Hirano stresses that character creation and customization remain the “absolute core pillar of the franchise,” and the wider range of options is built to let players express exactly who they want to be. This time, fighting styles shift away from rigid builds toward an “addition” system, letting your Time Patroller grow into a multi-talented warrior rather than a locked class, reinforcing the story’s fantasy of becoming your own ultimate Dragon Ball hero.
Online Sandbox Gameplay: Co-op, Competition, and Community
Parallel to the campaign, Xenoverse 3’s online sandbox gameplay is designed as a separate, massive pool of co-op and competitive missions. The main story remains solo, but the online suite invites friends to experience Age 1000 together, reflecting how “Xenoverse is a game heavily shaped by its community,” as Hirano explains. This structure lets Bandai Namco treat the online side as more than a bonus mode: it is the other half of the clean 50/50 split. The future tech concepts Toriyama helped define support shared play, with Soul Assist and Soul Switching hinting at tag-style strategies and team tactics that go beyond previous Xenoverse entries. By expanding customization and fighting styles, the online missions become a testing ground for long-range zoning builds, melee brawlers, or squad-focused setups—pushing Xenoverse 3 toward a next-generation fighting game that rewards both experimentation and competitive mastery.
Beyond Kakarot: A Next-Generation Fighting Game Evolution
Bandai Namco is positioning Xenoverse 3 as a major step forward for anime fighting game fans by promising battles that aim to one-up Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. While Kakarot centered on retelling canonical arcs, Xenoverse 3 leans into a new era, a new city, and systems meant for both storytelling and intense combat. The equal focus on single-player and online design suggests a next-generation fighting game that respects narrative players while courting competitive and co-op communities. With Age 1000 as a blank slate, Toriyama’s direct input, an “addition” style build system, and a wider customization suite, the game is constructed to feel less like Xenoverse 2.5 and more like a franchise evolution. If Bandai Namco delivers on this dual-focus strategy, Xenoverse 3 could become the model for how licensed action RPGs handle story and online modes without sacrificing either side.
