Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 Is In The Future, But Has A Clever Way To Bring Back Old Favorites

There are plenty of adaptations of the Dragon Ball franchise over the years, but few have been as openly ambitious as the Xenoverse games. The two titles allowed players to create their own warrior and throw them headlong into the universe to train under beloved heroes and face off against deadly enemies. The next game in the series is taking that concept even further, introducing a massive time-skip that naturally sets up a new cast of characters.

There are inevitably going to be some fans who miss playing as old favorites, but they shouldn’t worry too much. The upcoming Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 actually has a clever Ultra Move that resolves that issue without taking the spotlight away from the new characters and age. The movie was revealed during the Summer Game Fest 2026 demo and serves as the best way to keep the spirit of the original characters present without overshadowing new faces that could help push the narrative of the universe further than ever.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3’s Soul Switch Gives Classic Characters New Life

One of the big gameplay mechanics for Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3, the “Soul Switch,” should allow the new game to avoid a common criticism for video game adaptations of the Dragon Ball franchise. Xenoverse 3 has been confirmed to be set in Age 1000, over two hundred years after the present-day of the series. This opens the door for plenty of new faces, although the demo also included appearances from Bulma and a Saiyan Saga Vegeta. The answer to these time-displaced characters seems to be tied to the “Soul Switch,” which can be activated in combat as a sort of super form.

The ability briefly swaps the player out of the fight and replaces them with an established member of the canon. In the demo provided to members of the media, the option became available while fighting Broly. Activating the power brought in Future Trunks from the events of the “Android Saga,” with many of his signature moves and abilities. Trailers for the game have highlighted that other characters can be summoned as well, highlighting one of the ways the game seems to be bringing in familiar faces without letting them overshadow the player character and the new cast that populate this future. It’s a deceptively great decision, allowing the game to address a common criticism while also retaining a fan-favorite aspect of the series.

For many players, Dragon Ball games can eventually become a tad repetitive. While the combat is the real appeal and different titles can approach it in different forms, the same events often serve as the setup for the same fights across generations of games. That was one of the big selling points of Xenoverse in the first place, allowing players to influence the narrative themselves and confront some unique challenges and scenarios. The idea of exploring Age 1000 is an even greater realization of that ambition, giving players a whole new era to explore and fall in love with. This allows the game to avoid repeating too many specific fights or scenarios while still allowing the characters’ fans to always enjoy seeing them make a quick return.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 Can Push The Series Further Than Ever Before

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 is a bold move from Bandai Namco and the brand as a whole. While the series is set to continue with new adventures in both manga and anime form, Xenoverse 3 represents the last of Akira Toriyama’s ideas for the series and a chance to open it up into entirely new directions. Trailers have teased out the other new faces that will populate the city, with dynamics left to be explored and challenges waiting to be faced.

There’s a certain sub-section of the fandom that’s never going to want Dragon Ball to change or move beyond the established characters, but additions to the lore like Dragon Ball Super have helped usher in a real resurgence for the franchise. Xenoverse 3 has a chance to go even further than ever before, largely dropping characters like Goku or Vegeta from the starring role and allowing other characters to fill those roles. This isn’t even limited to the main custom character, who will undoubtedly be played a bit broadly so they can fit any player. The supporting characters can find their own friendships, rivalries, and connections, while new villains can offer different perspectives on the universe.

The time-skip forces Xenoverse 3 to lean into new characters, something that is really exciting as a fan of the franchise. It opens up a massive sense of history and adds a depth to the world-building that can feel absent in the more familiar space that players encounter in the core series and most gaming adaptations. The “Soul State” highlights how Xenoverse 3 can move beyond the established universe and expand into something different without losing that connection to the legacy of the original.