Dragon Ball‘s couch co-op, or split-screen co-op, is one of the most beloved features in the game. It eliminates the need for internet connections and gaming subscriptions; all you need is an extra controller and a friend. However, it seems Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero will be bucking the trend, as it may not feature split-screen co-op as a feature.
That’s right, even though the Budokai Tenkaichi series was known for its split-screen capabilities, Sparking Zero will not allow two players to play on the same screen. However, this decision appears to be due to PlayStation and Xbox rather than the developers.
The Removal of Split-Screen Play From Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Was Revealed in an Interview
Whenever we hear of an upcoming fighting game, fans assume that split-screen/couch-co-op will be in the game by default. Sadly, that doesn’t seem to be the case with Sparking Zero. The information comes from Sparking Zero producer Jun Furutani. The information was shared by Twitter user LaunSSJ and translated to English by ShonenGameZ.
The interview also included series producer Ryo Mito, and both Spike Chunsoft representatives provided quite a bit of information regarding the game.
The producers revealed that characters from GT and the movies would also be present on the playable roster. We also have a tentative release window. However, it wasn’t all good news. Furutani and Mito stated that split-screen mode will not be present in the game due to “issues related to Sony and Microsoft,” which make including split-screen a challenge.
They stated they are working to include it within the game, but if present challenges continue, then fans should not hope for the feature to be present in the game at launch or ever added to the title as an update.
The Removal of the Split Screen Could Affect the Game’s Sales Performance
Most fans of the Budokai Tenkaichi series have fond memories of playing the game with their friends using traditional split screen. Now, it appears players will have to rely entirely on online play if they want to recreate iconic fights from the series together. This decision alone could affect how the upcoming game sells, especially since there is no confirmation of cross-platform play as yet.
This could also be seen as a move from both Sony and Microsoft to get more people to buy consoles, but how effective this strategy turns out remains to be seen.
With over 160 playable characters on the roster, Sparking Zero is shaping up to be a beefy new installment to the Budokai Tenkaichi series. The trailers so far have been impressive, with the art style and cinematic fights remaining true to the franchise.
The story is set to feature all the events of DBZ, and possibly DB Super as well, since Jiren and other characters from the Tournament of Power saga are in the game.
All we hope is that the practice of dropping split-screen doesn’t become a trend with other games as well.
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