"Dynasty Warriors 10 Cancellation Confirmed"

• The 10th mainline entry in the Dynasty Warriors series was canceled due to rapid technological advancements and the arrival of next-gen consoles.
• Following the cancellation, key ideas from the scrapped Dynasty Warriors 10 were repurposed into Dynasty Warriors: Origins, enhancing its strategic depth and open gameplay.
• Dynasty Warriors: Origins is set to launch on January 17, 2025, delivering high-octane, hack-and-slash combat set in the legendary Three Kingdoms Era.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins emerged from a pivotal turning point in the franchise’s development history. What began as a traditional sequel evolved into a bold reinvention after Omega Force made the difficult decision to cancel the planned 10th mainline installment. While Deluxe Edition owners have already experienced the game’s dynamic combat through early access, the title’s existence stems from a major creative shift sparked by the capabilities of modern hardware.

Scheduled for full release on January 17, 2025, Dynasty Warriors: Origins retains the signature free-roaming, action-packed gameplay that has defined the series since Dynasty Warriors 2 in 2000. Players assume the role of an enigmatic, amnesiac warrior, forging their path alongside iconic generals of China’s Three Kingdoms period.

However, the journey to Origins wasn’t straightforward. In a recent interview with Japanese outlet 4Gamer—translated by SiliconEra—development producer Masamichi Oba disclosed that the team had initially been crafting a "phantom" mainline entry, conceptually aligned with the stage-based progression seen in Dynasty Warriors 7 (2011). This canceled project followed a more linear, mission-clearing structure, far removed from the expansive design of Origins.

Why Was Dynasty Warriors 10 Canceled?

The pivotal moment came when producer Tomohiko Sho and the Omega Force team experienced the processing power of the PlayStation 5 and other current-generation platforms. Recognizing the potential for a more immersive and technically advanced experience, they chose to abandon the original vision in favor of a ground-up reimagining. This strategic pivot allowed them to build a more modern, scalable foundation for the franchise’s future.

Despite the cancellation, several core concepts from the unreleased title were preserved. As Oba noted, features like seamless world traversal and a deeper narrative focus on the Three Kingdoms Era were already in development for the canceled game. These elements have now been fully realized in Dynasty Warriors: Origins, enriching its open-world design and storytelling depth. Though letting go of the previous project was challenging, the team successfully transformed its legacy into a new beginning.