Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 Shows Off New Default Saiyan Protagonist in Gameplay
Bandai Namco Entertainment has released fresh gameplay footage for the upcoming Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3, giving fans a clearer look at what to expect—especially through one of the game’s new default protagonists. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 continues the series’ established formula: an action-RPG take on Dragon Ball where you fight alongside recognizable heroes while building your own custom character.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 was first revealed last April, with the setting confirmed as West City in a futuristic AGE 1000. Players will team up with the Great Saiyan Squad and work through a range of missions, meeting both returning favorites and brand-new characters. Those newcomers were created under the vision of the late Akira Toriyama, the legendary creator tied to the Dragon Ball franchise.
When the Dragon Ball Super manga finally resumes with the Black Frieza Saga, the story won’t revolve around Goku and Vegeta as the central focus anymore.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 gameplay video: what you’ll see
There’s now a strong first look at Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3, with Bandai Namco sharing a gameplay presentation that runs close to seven minutes. The clip focuses on what players can expect, including one of the default protagonist options. As in earlier entries, you’ll be able to create your own fighter from scratch, but the game also includes preset characters to jump into right away.
One featured default is a Saiyan named J-Age, identifiable by his white hair. J-Age’s moveset is designed to feel familiar to Saiyan fans, with attack patterns that echo Vegeta. For comparison, the default Earthling preset leans more toward Goku-style fighting, both in what it can do and how its combos are structured.
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In the gameplay presentation, J-Age takes part in a mission alongside three other members of the Great Saiyan Squad. The objective showcases the series’ usual mix of roaming and combat inside 3D arenas. During fights, J-Age and his teammates can use super attacks and ultimate attacks, plus two additional battle tools: Soul Assist and Soul Switch.
Soul Assist lets you call in a well-known Dragon Ball character for support. The footage specifically highlights Future Trunks and Vegeta as examples of who you can recruit for help during combat. Soul Switch, meanwhile, allows you to shift into those characters and fully take on their forms, bringing their identity into the fight.
These mechanics become especially relevant in the mission’s culminating battle against Broly, who appears as part of Dragon Ball Super. That Broly fight is shown as the closing segment of the gameplay video.
Explore West City and customize your space
Mission play isn’t the only pillar on display. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 also includes time spent exploring West City, alongside options to customize your personal home base with the help of your robot assistant, COA. At home, you’ll be able to decorate and rearrange furniture and adjust your appearance. When you step back out into the online hub that forms the city, you can meet other players and team up with them.
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When to play and what it means for series fans
Based on what’s been shown so far, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 appears aimed squarely at people who liked the first two games. It’s clearly building on a familiar experience, but with a sense of refinement and improvements layered on top. It also stands out for including fresh original characters created by Akira Toriyama, which makes the prospect of seeing them in action a major draw.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 is planned to launch in 2027 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
