Balancing isn’t easy: Team Ninja on Dead or Alive 5: Last Round in the competitive scene, sexual fantasy, and the future (part 1)

Team Ninja faces a daunting challenge when they release Dead or Alive 5: Last Round in February (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360). Unlike their obstacles with the Ninja Gaiden series, it isn’t fighting post-Itagaki blues. It’s also not about the franchise being a prime exhibit in the sexuality debate.

It’s about being relevant in a genre that has hit a saturation point.