How a Saiyan's journey became a 10 million copy commercial success
In short: Released in early 2020, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot transforms the iconic anime series into an expansive action role-playing experience. While critics offered mixed perspectives on its RPG mechanics, the title has resonated globally, evolving through numerous expansions to reach a massive milestone of 10 million units sold.
Developed by CyberConnect2 and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, Kakarot allows players to inhabit the roles of seven core characters, including Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan. The gameplay blends intense combat with lifestyle activities like fishing, training, and even driving hover cars. The narrative structure follows four primary sagas: the Saiyan, Frieza, Cell, and Buu sagas, allowing fans to experience the anime's progression through a semi-open world.
The game's commercial trajectory has been remarkably steady. Following its January 2020 launch, it achieved immediate success, becoming the best-selling game of that month in the United States. By March 2020, it had surpassed 2 million copies sold. The title continued to grow, reaching 4.5 million units by December 2021, and eventually hitting the 8 million mark by July 2024. By January 12, 2026, sales reached 10 million copies worldwide.
Beyond the base game, the experience has been significantly expanded through various downloadable content (DLC) seasons. These include storylines covering Dragon Ball Super, the original Dragon Ball series, and television specials. Notably, the game features Bonyū, an original character designed specifically for the title by the franchise creator, Akira Toriyama. While some critics, such as IGN's Michael Saltzman, noted weaknesses in the RPG elements, others have praised the game for providing a unique perspective on Goku's life.
The game's release history was marked by technical nuances, such as a postponement for the Xbox Series X/S version in February 2023 due to issues converting Xbox One save data. Despite these hurdles, the game has maintained a presence across multiple platforms, including PlayStation, Xbox, Windows, Nintendo Switch, and Stadia.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
- Also: Wikidata — Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot · CC0
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