Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Surges Past 5 Million Sales Milestone
By Image courtesy of Spike Chunsoft/Bandai Namco.
Fewer than six months after its launch, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero has achieved 5 million copies in sales globally.
The latest fighting game in the long-standing multimedia franchise debuted in October 2024 for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X|S. It reportedly sold 3 million copies on its opening day, predominantly from North America and Europe.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our incredible fans for this remarkable journey,” stated Bandai Namco and Spike Chunsoft. “Your enthusiasm and commitment mean the world to us.”
Sparking marks the first new entry in the Dragon Ball Budokai sub-series of fighting games since 2007. According to Circana’s report in November 2024, it ranks as the top-selling Dragon Ball game in North America and is among Bandai Namco’s highest-selling titles, behind only the original Dark Souls and Elden Ring.
This game was also one of the significant releases in the Dragon Ball universe after the loss of creator Akira Toriyama in March 2024.
Dragon Ball will continue onward
How does Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero compare with other recent Dragon Ball titles? Despite its youth, it is on track to rival its predecessors’ success.
Dragon Ball: Kakarot, which debuted in 2020, had sold 8 million copies by July 2024. Initially, the game was released on Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One before eventually making its way to Nintendo Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X | S.
In 2018, Dragon Ball FighterZ—the last fighting game in the franchise—achieved 10 million copies by May 2023. A significant update brought the title to PS5 and Xbox Series X | S in February 2024.
According to SteamDB estimates, Sparking! had the best Steam launch of the three games. At its launch, it peaked at 122,554 concurrent players, significantly outperforming the respective launches of FighterZ (44,303 players) and Kakarot (25,852 players).
Beyond its own series, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero! also joins forces with Mortal Kombat 1 as part of the 5 million sales club.
About the Author
Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com
Hailing from Kansas City, MO, Justin Carter has contributed to various publications including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. Besides his work for Game Developer, you can find his writings at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don’t ask him about how much gum he’s chewed, as the answer might be more than he is willing to admit.