After a long stretch focused mostly on fighting games, the Dragon Ball franchise is setting its sights on asymmetric multiplayer. Dragon Ball: The Breakers is the next action-packed title from Dimps, which previously worked on the Dragon Ball Xenoverse series. Players will get to control either unpowered Survivors or monstrously strong Raiders in their quest to escape the Temporal Seam. Various iconic Dragon Ball character skins and costume pieces will be available to Survivors, and Raider players will control a gradually strengthening villain from the franchise.
These villains have been selected to pose a major threat to Survivors, one that any Dragon Ball fan will be able to instantly understand. So far, the three revealed Raiders are Cell, Buu, and Frieza, and it's likely more will be added down the line. In similar titles like Dead by Daylight and Friday the 13th: The Game, the power gap between sides is exceptionally large. Survivors will need to cooperate and use the tools scattered around the map to hold Raiders off and escape, so it will be interesting to see how the Raiders are differentiated, and there's plenty more options to add from Dragon Ball’s rogues' gallery.
Broly
One of the first Dragon Ball Z villains that comes to mind after the initial three Raiders is Broly. Broly is an iconic Dragon Ball movie villain who represents a straightforward physical threat the likes of which most villains cannot reach. Broly has a single-minded approach to destroying his enemies, and typically does so in a brutal fashion. Both the original Broly and the canon Dragon Ball Super Broly are eligible for The Breakers’ roster, and the one that does not make it in can be an alternate costume. Both are known to power up as they fight, and can serve as hard-hitting but slow threats.
Goku Black
Few things are more intimidating than an angry Goku bearing down on an enemy, and Goku Black gives the good guys a taste of this threat. Using a combination of Goku's powers with some stylish and unique tricks, Goku Black would be a great addition to The Breakers. As a match moves on, Goku Black can assume Super Saiyan Rose, and then become Fused Zamasu. His inclusion also presents the opportunity for an actual Goku skin to be used by a Raider, which would be a unique experience.
Ginyu Force
For something more non-traditional, the Ginyu Force could serve as a unique Raider. A player could control Captain Ginyu directly and unlock assists from the other four members as a match goes on. However, that would not be their main draw; rather, a Ginyu player will want to use hit-and-run tactics against Survivors early in a match before changing places with one of them. This disguised Ginyu would become a subversive enemy that, while weak on their own, is able to summon allies to turn the tide against the Survivors.
Hit
A game that takes place in the Temporal Seam seems like a perfect opportunity to include one of Dragon Ball's time-centric characters. Xenoverse’s villainous Time Breakers would match this game’s title, but the assassin Hit would probably make for a more interesting Raider. Hit is a time-manipulating assassin introduced in Dragon Ball Super, and serves as a rival to the heroes for a while. He's a generally neutral character in the main canon, but his dialogue could make reference to being paid to hunt down the Survivors. With a moveset that would gradually grow to include his assassination techniques and eventually a time stop, Hit makes for a dangerous Raider idea in Dragon Ball: The Breakers.
Vegeta
Rounding out a preliminary list of villains is Vegeta. Vegeta has not been antagonistic in a long time, but his appearances as a villain are all very memorable and inform his character to this day. Having him show up in his original Saiyan Armor with the ability to transform into Oozaru would be interesting, but the ideal final tier of his power would have to be Majin Vegeta, the form that marked his last attempt at villainy. It's not clear how Dimps could balance the iconic sacrificial explosion associated with that form, but it would have to show up. At any rate, being the final villain of Dragon Ball Z's first arc more than qualifies Vegeta for a spot on Dragon Ball: The Breakers’ roster.
Dragon Ball: The Breakers releases in 2022 for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.