Dead or Alive

Dead or Alive (Japanese: デッド オア アライブ, Hepburn: Deddo oa Araibu, abbreviated as DOA) is a Japanese media franchise centered on a series of fighting games developed by Team Ninja and published by Koei Tecmo (formerly Tecmo). The gameplay of the series is primarily composed of fast-paced hand-to-hand combat in a 3-Dimensional playing field that began with the first game released in 1996, followed by five main sequels, numerous updates, spin-offs, printed media, a film adaptation, and merchandise. The series revolves around the events of the Dead or Alive World Combat Championship, an international martial arts tournament in which fighters from across the globe participate for the title of world champion and large cash prizes. The tournaments are held by the Dead or Alive Tournament Executive Committee (DOATEC). The conflict between the ninja competitors and DOATEC's personnel serves as the main focus of the series. Dead or Alive has been a critical and commercial success, having been well-praised for its impressive fighting system, beautiful graphics, and interactive environments. Several characters of the series have made appearances and are referenced in other games while several games of the series have also been featured and referenced in other media. As of 2019, the franchise has sold over 10.05 million units worldwide. The franchise sales and free-to-play downloads combined totaled over 24.05 million units.