As one of the most beloved manga and anime franchises in history, Dragon Ball commands a massive and devoted following across the West. Yet not every project hits the mark, such as Dragon Ball: Gekishin Squadra, which is now attempting to stay relevant with a change that has ignited outrage among its player base.

Launched less than a year ago as a free-to-play MOBA for consoles and PC, Dragon Ball: Gekishin Squadra was designed to deliver fast-paced online arena combat. But from the very start, it struggled to sustain a lively community, hampered by the genre not being accessible. In response, the development team has made the radical decision to pivot the game into what appears to be a team-based online action brawler.

Why Is Dragon Ball: Gekishin Squadra Rebooting?

The announcement came during a livestream commemorating the game’s upcoming first anniversary, where developers outlined their vision for the future. While the reveal of Gogeta as a new playable character generated genuine excitement, it was quickly overshadowed by news of far more fundamental changes.

Perhaps the most striking change in gameplay is the camera perspective. Battles will no longer be viewed from a top-down angle; instead, the game will adopt a third-person view, allowing for more cinematic, close-quarters combat and a better showcase of character designs. This new perspective will also pave the way for expanded customization options.

As a direct result, control schemes and overall combat flow will be altered to such an extent that the title can no longer be classified as a MOBA. Developers insist they are simplifying combat mechanics while preserving a layer of strategic depth, and matches will now center on collecting Dragon Balls and delivering them to a team base and whoever secures the most wins.

New Dragon Ball: Gekishin Squadra Will Become Simpler to Attract New Players

According to the project leads, the original ambition for Gekishin Squadra was to offer an accessible, on-demand team-battle experience for fans anywhere. Over time, however, they observed that the game’s strategic complexity and demanding knowledge curve created a widening skill gap between veteran players and newcomers, which made it hard for new players to join.

The forthcoming improvements, they argue, are meant to modernize both visuals and gameplay, making the title more broadly approachable without sacrificing its core identity. They also acknowledged that this was not a rash decision and that they are fully aware of the potential risks involved.

“The goal is not to push away our existing community, but to preserve the spirit of Gekishin Squadra while inviting an influx of new players,” the development team stated. “We sincerely hope this renovation delivers a more accessible and enjoyable experience for every Dragon Ball fan.”

Dragon Ball Gekishin Squadra cambios
Dragon Ball Gekishin Squadra ya no se verá desde arriba y dejará de ser MOBA (imagen: Bandai Namco Entertainment)

Dragon Ball: Gekishin Squadra Players Are Not Happy with These Changes

With only limited footage of Dragon Ball: Gekishin Squadra’s revamped gameplay released, many players have already condemned the project’s new direction, arguing that the studio should have developed a separate title rather than fundamentally altering the existing one.

Others concede that the game was never in a strong position to begin with but contend that attempting to overhaul its very foundations at this stage amounts to effectively killing it.

“You might as well add ‘end-of-service’ to the roadmap,” one frustrated player remarked. “What on earth were they thinking?”

Another lamented, “First anniversary gift: Gekishin Squadra ends, and we get a different game instead.”

A small minority have expressed cautious curiosity and intend to give the new version a chance, but they remain outliers. The prevailing sentiment among the community is that the producers were left with little choice to try a last-ditch effort to attract a wider audience and shut down the servers.

“At least we got Gogeta,” one fan offered in grim consolation.

The major update introducing these changes in Dragon Ball: Gekishin Squadra is currently scheduled to roll out after the anniversary campaign, toward the end of 2026.

Are you for or against these changes in Dragon Ball: Gekishin Squadra? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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