When Dragon Ball creator and famed mangaka Akira Toriyama passed away in 2024, the ripple effect was felt in nearly every online (and real-life) circle. For millennials and Gen Z, he was one of the most important storytellers; his work dominated after-school programming in the 1990s and early 2000s, and was enjoyed by people from all over the world.
Dragon Ball, and later Dragon Ball Z, entertained generations of audiences, teaching lessons about adventuring, making friends, expanding the imagination and fighting for the greater good.
While Toriyama is no longer with us, it’s clear his work will live on, guided by the principles laid out across his most popular tales – namely, that heroes exist, and that their efforts to make the world a better place should be aspirational. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 is the latest game to carry this legacy forward.
After a brief preview, there’s plenty of hope for what comes next.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 preview – quick links
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 has you operating as a superhero in West City
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 – like its predecessors – allows you to create a custom Dragon Ball character and then set off on world-saving missions. There are a variety of character styles to choose from, with models directly inspired by Toriyama’s iconic art style – all wide eyes, bright colours and charm.
In this story, your character will become part of the Great Saiyan Squad, an organisation devoted to crime fighting across West City – a futuristic location first introduced in the manga, which is also home to heroic adventurer Bulma.
Bulma will actually play a key part in this upcoming game, aiding players across various missions – and as the team at Dimps and Bandai Namco outlined during the game’s preview, this is the ‘real’ version of Bulma.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 notably takes place in a new universe, known as Age 1000, as a means to tell new, non-canon stories within the world of Dragon Ball. Utilising a newer timeline means fresh opportunity to remix classic tales with alternative outcomes, while preserving the original timeline.
Bulma, it appears, will somehow become involved in the creation or operation of this universe, as she serves as a key character to guide your adventures.
What’s the story in Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3?
For now, Dimps and Bandai Namco are staying quiet about the exact nature of the game’s story, but we did get some vague knowledge during the preview. In teases, the team revealed players will ‘step into a world that Goku and his allies once protected’ to ‘leave your mark in a way that’s truly, uniquely yours’.
That leaves plenty of room for questions.
Why is this version of West City no longer protected by Goku and his allies? Who is your player character, and why have they risen to become such an important hero?
There’s also the mystery of cameo character appearances from across the ages.
As you explore West City, you’ll encounter a range of classic Dragon Ball characters, with a twist. Each is identified by name, and by their home era or arc. Wandering through your home base (where you can customise your character and set forward on missions), you can find a version of Vegeta from the early Saiyan Arc – the very first story arc of Dragon Ball Z.
He’s wearing his classic Saiyan outfit, and is in more villainous form.
There’s also a version of Trunks you’ll encounter early on, who also hails from his first story arc.
It appears you’ll be able to meet and greet various versions of these characters, all from different parts of the Dragon Ball timeline. Taking a guess, they are likely to introduce you to themed missions based on various parts of the Dragon Ball story, potentially with alternative universe outcomes.
As you get to know them, you’ll be able to wield their powers for yourself, using new ‘Soul Change’ abilities to harness their souls and perform their iconic moves in battle. With a focus on combat missions – some (or most) of which will be defined by four-character GS Squads – those abilities will surely come in handy.
For now, that’s about all Dimps and Bandai Namco revealed of Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3, leaving plenty of questions in their wake – but lots of intriguing reasons for Dragon Ball fans to keep an eye on news in the coming months.
