Rumor: ‘Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 4’ Will Feature Playable Roster “Even Bigger than Xenoverse 2 With All The DLC”

Frieza (Ryƫsei Nakao) and Goku (Masako Nozawa) put an end to the Tournament of Power in Dragon Ball Super Episode 121 "A Miraculous Conclusion! Farewell Goku! Until We Meet Again!" (2017), Shueisha
Frieza (Ryƫsei Nakao) and Goku (Masako Nozawa) put an end to the Tournament of Power in Dragon Ball Super Episode 121 "A Miraculous Conclusion! Farewell Goku! Until We Meet Again!" (2017), Shueisha

When it comes to fighting games, Dragon Ball releases have a reputation for providing players with an absolutely extensive roster of fighters from across the series’ canon, and according to a new rumor, the upcoming Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 4 will be no different.

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Word regarding the long-awaited sequel’s potential combatants was first raised to the public by noted anime YouTuber Geekdom101.

Taking to his YouTube channel on August 10th, GeekDom101 began his discussion of the game’s roster by informing viewers that, per his supposed sources, it would feature “characters from the Tournament of Power who have never been playable in a Dragon Ball game before”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZhSgfhF8

Following an acknowledgment of how “the big guns from the past few Dragon Ball games will be in this one, people like Jiren, people like Golden Frieza,” the anime-related scooper then revealed, “What surprised me is finding out about some of the other universes and some of the characters from the other universes that are making their debut in Budokai Tenkaichi 4. This roster, based on everything I know, is going to be even bigger than Xenoverse 2 with all the DLC.”

“As of right now, I can’t say who’s going to be here from GT or the original Dragon Ball, I don’t have that information,” admitted Geekdom101 on the subject of Budokai Tenkaichi 4 matching Xenoverse 2’s franchise-spanning roster of 100+ playable characters. “But what will surprise you is how many characters from the Tournament of Power that we saw fighting may end up being playable in a fighting game for the very first time – and I’m not including Dokkan because that’s more of a strategy card game, [but] an actual fighting-slash-simulation Dragon Ball Z game.”

As for the potential appearance of characters who have thus far only appeared in the manga such as Granolah or Moro, the YouTuber admitted that at current, “I do not have an answer for you on that. I do not have any information.”

Unfortunately, despite claiming to “know” some of the game’s confirmed roster, Geekdom101 ultimately refrained from sharing this knowledge.

Moro absorbs Merus in Dragon Ball Super Ch. 65 "Son Goku, Earthling" (2020), Shueisha. Words and art by Toyotarou.

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However, his assertion that Budokai Tenkaichi 4’s roster will feature the debut of fighters featured in Dragon Ball Super‘s Tournament of Power arc provides a solid jumping-0ff point for speculation regarding such new entrants.

Narrowing down the Tournament’s list of 80 combatants according to Geekdom101’s criteria of being a never-before-playable-in-a-Dragon-Ball-game – thus resulting in the removal of Ribrianne, Hit, Cabba, Caulifla, Kale, Frost, Kefla, Top, Hiren, Dyspo, and the entirety of Universe 7 from the running – there are roughly 61 fighters left from Lord Zenos’ competition who could potentially appear in Budokai Tenkaichi 4.

Jiren (Eiji Hanawa) is returned home in Dragon Ball Super Episode 121 "A Miraculous Conclusion! Farewell Goku! Until We Meet Again!" (2017), Shueisha

Further eliminating characters who had no character outside of ‘background fodder’, this leaves – at least in the opinion of this article’s author – around 11 combatants who could make their debut in Budokai Tenkaichi 4.

These include Zarbuto, Jimizu, Nigrissi, Maji-Kayo, Catopesra, Agnilasa, Ganos, Auta Magetta, Botamo, Bergamo (and his fellow Trio of Danger members, who would likely serve in some sort of assist capacity) and Kahseral.

It should be noted that despite their disqualification from speculation under Geekdom101’s criteria, this does not mean that the aforementioned ‘returning fighters’ have no hopes of appearing in the game, but rather that they were simply not the subject of the YouTuber’s specific scoop.

Catopesra (YĆ«sei Oda) prepares to strike in Dragon Ball Super Episode 115 "Goku vs. Kefla! Super Saiyan Blue Beaten?" (2017), Shueisha

Outside of this insight into the game’s apparent roster, Geekdom101 also suggested that the game would feature a number of improvements and additions over past Budokai and Budokai Tenkaichi titles, such as giving characters “custom taunts when facing specific other characters” and providing “a bunch of [currently unspecified] new locations” for players to fight it out in.

As of writing, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 4 has yet to confirm an official release date.

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