Few online slots carry the weight of legacy quite like Dead or Alive. First released back in 2009, the original became a defining title of its era – a brutally volatile, no-nonsense experience that players are still chasing nearly two decades later.
With Dead or Alive 3: Wanted, NetEnt has taken a different approach. Rather than simply trying to outdo what came before, the studio has expanded the formula with new mechanics, a stronger narrative focus, and a more cinematic presentation.
To understand how you evolve something this iconic without losing what made it special in the first place, we spoke with Lead Art Director Oskar and Art Director Massih about the thinking behind Dead or Alive 3 – from honoring the past to building something that fits today’s players.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): The original Dead or Alive is one of the most iconic online slots ever made and still appears to have a very loyal player base – me being one of them. From your perspective, does it still perform well today, and were you surprised by how long it has remained relevant?
NetEnt (Oskar & Massih): It’s an absolute icon! Dead or Alive is always among the most popular games on Playin.com, so yeah, it performs really well even to this day!
For its time, it was quite different and stood out for several reasons: its high volatility, fast-paced spins, no visual noise and a very straightforward goal of filling the reels with wilds in the bonus game. I’m not surprised that players appreciated that back then, or that they still do today, seventeen years later. Dead or Alive is a true classic!
Bigwinboard (Daniel): Dead or Alive 2 stayed close to the original while increasing volatility and potential. Dead or Alive 3 feels like a bigger shift – what made you decide to move the series in this direction?
NetEnt (Oskar & Massih): Both versions of the games are ancient in terms of the development of the casino industry. The players have really pushed the needle on the expectation of a slot in 2026. We didn’t want to lose the DNA of the previous games, but instead add more things to look for and get excited by.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): When working on a third installment in such a well‑known series, how do you decide what absolutely must stay and what you’re willing to change?
NetEnt (Oskar & Massih): From an art perspective, with Dead or Alive 3: Wanted, it was important for us to honor what made the earlier games great, but at the same time not be afraid of updating and evolving the game series in a way that made sense for us. We’ve worked on several sequels, and every time it’s a challenge to figure out how much tribute should be paid to the previous games and in what way. We have many discussions within the team and figure this stuff out together. Some lend more to change than others.
For example, it made sense for us to keep the royals close to their original look, since they have looked more or less the same since the original Dead or Alive, and are very recognisable. We felt that we had more room to update the medium and high-value symbols, while still paying homage to the OG.
From a mechanical standpoint, we wanted to keep the core of the original game. It has always been known for big payouts on five scatters and chasing the Wild Line. Dead or Alive 2 built on that by adding multipliers on the sticky wilds and for this installment we pushed it to the next level.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): The original was defined by its simplicity and tension – basically hit or miss with all or nothing moments. Dead or Alive 3 introduces more layered mechanics. How did you make sure it still delivers that same emotional punch and purity?
NetEnt (Oskar & Massih): We did not want to re-create the purity of the old games, however there are many times during the playthroughs that we’ve had the same feeling as playing the old original Dead or Alive. If we only land the Wild in the right spot, we would walk away happy. However, in this game, it has turned into chasing two things. Both the Wild line but also the Bounty Hunter Wild, adding more suspense rather than focusing on only one objective.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): The new Wanted Wilds and Bounty Hunter system adds a lot more going on during a spin. What was the core idea behind that mechanic?
NetEnt (Oskar & Massih): The core plan with Dead or Alive 3 was to step out of a game that is a one-trick pony. For the previous games, it has been a harsh ride to chase the free spins. We don’t believe that’s a recipe to make a game that speaks to today’s players. Since 2009 when the first game was released our way of being entertained has completely transformed and so has today’s slot market.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): There’s a much stronger narrative framing this time, with the gang, the bounty hunter, and a bigger sense of world‑building. Was that something you felt the series was missing before?
NetEnt (Oskar & Massih): It was something we felt had potential for further development. There are already two games in the Dead or Alive series, so we decided to tell the story from a different angle, this time following the bounty hunter. The goal with this approach was to deepen the narrative and expand the Dead or Alive world, while also making the outlaws more mysterious. We know the Bounty hunter will be tracking those outlaws for many spins to come.
As the view has shifted to show more of the environment because of the 5×5 reels area, we wanted to take this opportunity to change the settings as well, moving out of the town and into the wilderness. The idea was to create a relatively calm-before-the-storm moment in the base game and then contrast it with a straight-in-the-action approach in the bonus game.
This also ties into the direction NetEnt is moving towards as a brand. We aim to build more narratives to guide us in creating games and enhance the gaming experience.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): Dead or Alive has always had a very distinct Western tone. How did you approach the audiovisual style this time – are there any specific influences or details players should look out for?
NetEnt (Oskar & Massih): In terms of the art direction and overall style, we wanted a game that looks and feels like it belongs in 2026. For Dead Or Alive 3: Wanted, we went for a grittier, more realistic and more cinematic take in the same vein as Dead West. There are many fun easter eggs hidden throughout the game, and here are a couple: during Big Win celebrations, you might find a certain spinning leprechaun hiding out. Also, the birdie in the background has evil intentions. It definitely needs to be dealt with!
From sound, we wanted something a bit grittier and worn, and we felt like a backdrop of distorted guitars and distorted brass worked well with the western atmosphere. The influences this time were bands like Metallica and Muse, mixed with classic spaghetti western instruments such as strings, tremolo guitars and trumpets.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): For players who have spent years chasing that perfect wild line in the original, what’s the equivalent “dream moment” in Dead or Alive 3?
NetEnt (Oskar & Massih): That same dream moment of the wild line still exists, so does the five scatter payout. In addition to this, it is to land Bounty Hunter Wilds with a lot of multipliers. And if you get them to merge and combine the multiplier, shit can really pop off.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): Looking back at the series as a whole, what do you think Dead or Alive 3 does better than both the original and Dead or Alive 2?
NetEnt (Oskar & Massih): Dead or Alive 3: Wanted builds upon its predecessors and further expands upon the story, mechanics, visuals, sounds and music. The potential of landing crazy Wanted Wild x100 multipliers and merging Bounty Hunter Wilds are great additions that create a lot of excitement.
We’re very proud of this game and worked our asses off to create something we believe is worth your time and your coins. It was a true team effort!
