Dead or Alive: Code Chronos (lost build of cancelled Xbox 360 prequel to fighting game series; 2006-2010)
The game's logo.
Status: Lost
Dead or Alive: Code Chronos was an unreleased installment of the Dead or Alive fighting game series, developed by Team Ninja, led by then head Tomonobu Itagaki, for the Xbox 360. Code Chronos was slated to be a prequel to the Dead or Alive series, relaying the story of Kasumi and Ayane before the first Dead or Alive Tournament.
Development
Code Chronos wasn't officially announced outside of the project being featured on several Japanese posters promoting upcoming games set to release after 2005's Dead or Alive 4 (including 2006's Dead or Alive: Xtreme 2 and another cancelled game, Project Progressive). The only word on it during its active development came from an interview with Itagaki on Play Magazine in 2006, where he briefly summarized the premise. The advertisement used a recycled image of Ayane from 2004's Dead or Alive: Ultimate.
To date, nothing from Code Chronos has been released to the public, such as artwork, renders, gameplay, music, or assets, and it's unknown if anything from it even exists today.
Cancellation
Code Chronos fell into hiatus due to Itagaki's feud with Tecmo, which ultimately resulted in him leaving the company in 2008. On November 5th, 2010, the new Team Ninja head Yosuke Hayashi officially confirmed the game's cancellation and stated that it never got past the "framework level", indicating that Code Chronos wasn't anything more than an idea to begin with.[1][2]
Gallery
Images
A promotional Ayane image advertising Dead or Alive 4; Code Chronos can be seen in the bottom right corner, second to the right.
