Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate free version headed to JP PSN

Tecmo Koei is trying something a little unusual to promote Dead or Alive Ultimate, the new, expanded version of the Team Ninja fighter - releasing a stripped back free version.

As reported by Gematsu from a Famitsu article, the free version has only been confirmed for the Japanese PlayStation Network so far.

The trial or light version has four playable characters, Kasumi, Ayane, Hayate, and Ryu Hayabusa, and will offer all play modes except story.

All the rest of the game's stage and costume content will be present, with the exception of premium DLC - but anything you've already purchased for the core version of Dead or Alive 5 will be compatible.

Extra characters will cost ¥400 - about $4 - and the full story mode will be available for ¥1,500 - almost $15. So, if you already own Dead or Alive 5 and just want a few of the new characters, you'll be able to pick them up for a few bucks each rather than the full cover price of the new retail release. Interesting.

Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate hits PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in northern autumn, in both Japan and the west. It adds Ninja Gaiden's Momiji, as well as Virtua Fighter's Ein and Jacky Bryant, and all extra content from the Vita version, Dead or Alive 5 Plus.