Dead or Alive 5 Development Officially Dead Forever

After five years of updates, it seems as though the crew at Team Ninja is closing shop on Dead or Alive 5. An announcement video today featuring key figures from the team confirmed that development on the title will not continue, which means that no more additional content will be released. Check out the video below, taken during today's Northeast Championship 18 live stream.

While some fans may have been expecting confirmation on a sixth installment to the franchise, it looks like the team is taking some time to draw back and lay out a plan for what they'll be doing in the future. Team Ninja brand manager Yosuke Hayashi assured players at this year's Big E tournament that the Dead or Alive team is still "very active."

The news may come as a let down to fans, especially to players who mastered the game for competition over its half-decade run of activity. Dead or Alive Art Director Yutaka Saito acknowledged how important the game may be to these players, reassuring them that the developers were always watching matches with interest. "While we were constantly doing our best to improve the game, we were always watching your matches," said Saito.

The game's director, Yohai Shimbori, also chimed in to reassure fans that the future is ever-changing. "It is time to stop what we are doing for now and look into the future, which means we may not be around for some time," Shimbori said. "But we are very much looking forward to seeing you again someday. And I hope you will maintain your love for Dead or Alive, and keep on fighting."

While it's a little disappointing, it's not too much of a surprise, since this was alluded to back in September.

Dead or Alive 5's most recent update, Last Round, is available now for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC.