Will Dynasty Warriors Origins feature multiplayer?

Dynasty Warriors Origins is the newest title in the series that was teased during the PlayStation showcase in 2024. The game is published by the series developer Koei Tecmo, who is also famous for developing the 2004 Ninja Gaiden game. The title is shaping up to return to form after Dynasty Warrior 9 was an underwhelming release for the franchise.

While the game releasing in 2025 tries to bring the Dynasty Warriors franchise up to date, Koei Tecmo has revealed that Dynasty Warriors Origins will not include multiplayer. However, that doesn't mean that the series will not feature this mechanic moving forward.

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Why does Dynasty Warriors Origins have no multiplayer?

Dynasty Warriors Origins adapts the Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which is set in the turbulent years that prepended the end of the Han Dynasty while focusing on the three kingdoms — Eastern Wu, Shu Han, and Cao Wei. While the game only adapts the first half of the novel, this allows it to be more explorative in its storytelling. This approach to providing a story-rich campaign can be a major reason that Omega Force decided to remove multiplayer from the game's campaign.

Origins deviates from the traditional hack-and-slash style of the series, which surrendered completely to the power fantasy element of the game. The co-op multiplayer was a big part of this experience.

Origins instead shifts the focus to the character's journey. Instead of brute forcing you way through the narrative, the harder modes will force players to include defensive measures such as parrying or blocking into their playstyle.

A still from Dynasty Warriors Origins (Image via Koei Tecmo)

This shift in direction can also be seen in other aspects of the franchise. Origins let's you choose from only nine support characters, instead of the whopping 94 playable heroes available in the previous entry. This choice has allowed them to design each of them more intricately.

The protagonist can utilize nine different weapons, each with its own moveset and attacks. Meanwhile, the nine support heroes can also become memorable on their own thanks to the scarcity of their entrances.

Origins has also added depth to its strategic elements, especially compared to Dynasty Warriors 9. Choosing between different areas to conquer, which allies to assist, and where to concentrate your attention will be extremely important during the different battles in the game. The series will test your brains along with your brawn.

While this shift in direction means that Dynasty Warrior Origins will currently not feature co-op or multiplayer elements, there is still a possibility that Omega Force can add these elements in future updates or patches.