The popularity of the Dragon Ball franchise isn't slowing down anytime soon, as the latest video game in the series, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, hit a record number of sales in a short time. Sparking! Zero, from publisher Bandai Namco, is the latest entry in the Dragon Ball: Budokai Tenkaichi series of fighting games set in the world of Dragon Ball Z.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero's DragonBallGames announced the landmark number of sales on X (via Gematsu), noting: "We're thrilled to announce that DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO has officially sold 5 million copies worldwide!" Fans had been waiting for a new Budokai Tenkaichi successor for nearly 20 years, and the anticipation - along with an impressive reception at launch - led to record sales.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Has Reached An Amazing Milestone

Sparking! Zero Has Set An Impressive Record For Bandai Namaco

With five million copies sold worldwide, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero has become the fastest-selling Dragon Ball console game to date, even suring some of the most popular Dragon Ball titles, including Xenoverse 2 and Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. The game is riding a wave of popularity after Dragon Ball Daima's release, which put the franchise back on top as Toei Animation's top earner. In addition to being a new entry in a long-running franchise that established Dragon Ball on console, Sparking Zero! allows fans to explore a variety of alternate endings to iconic Dragon Ball sagas.

The arena brawler allows fans to revisit iconic battles from the Dragon Ball anime from the classic Freiza saga to fights from Dragon Ball Super. Like the original Budokai Tenkaichi entries, Sparking Zero! allows for custom battles and multiplayer so fans can live out their most interesting "What ifs" and fight against or alongside their friends.

The story mode's What If scenarios include Goku triggering his Super Saiyan form during his first fight with Vegeta. In the original anime, Goku didn't achieve Super Saiyan until the infamous battle with Frieza. So, for years, players were accustomed to playing out this original scenario in just about every Dragon Ball video game. In Sparking Zero! fans get to live out a variety of alternate endings and fights that have made the game enticing beyond its refined fighting mechanics.

The Title Has Been A Hit Since Its Launch In October

Sparking Zero! Has Been A Sales Juggernaut From The Start

Sparking! Zero's sales milestone means Bandai Namco and developer Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd have a lot to live up to when it comes to the next Dragon Ball game release - whenever that might be. Sparking Zero! was a hit among critics, with a Metacritic score of 81%. With the promise of DLC that'll include plenty of popular side characters from the anime, it's not hard to see Sparking Zero! hit even more milestones in the future.

In Sparking Zero! review, we gave it a 9/10, saying: "Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is an excellent addition to the Budokai Tenkaichi franchise that more than justifies the long wait for its release." The near-perfect roster, creative custom battles, and interesting What If scenarios made Sparking! Zero a standout entry in a long-running franchise that has yet to lose its worldwide popularity. It's easy to see why Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero has been such a big seller among fans.

Sources: DragonBallGames/X, Gematsu