PS3 Dead or Alive 5 players get new stage, v1.03 update today; content to hit X360 next week

If you’ve got the PlayStation 3 version of Dead or Alive 5, boot up the game and log into the PlayStation Network today to begin downloading a 227MB update file, which will upgrade the games’ version to v1.03 (full list of changes here) and add a bonus stage, Zack Island, to fight on.

Zack Island, of course, was the setting for the Dead or Alive Xtreme spin-off series. What used to be a leisure-filled environment for the DOA girls to hang out and maybe play some beach volleyball has now been converted into a battle arena that’s full of fisticuffs… yet still incredibly relaxing. It’s almost like they’re just sparring for fun.

Take a look for yourself:

Along with the patch and new stage are three new DLC costume packs, also themed after Dead or Alive Xtreme.

Paradise Pack 1 contains swimsuits for Kasumi, Kokoro, Helena and Sara. Paradise Pack 2 gives you those for Hitomi, Lei Fang, Mila and Pai, while Paradise Pack 3 has got Ayane, Christie, Tina, and Lisa covered.

Although the new patch, arena, and paid DLC costume packs are out for the PS3 version of the game now, for some reason Xbox 360 players will have to wait a full week before they can get their grubby hands on all of these goodies – and that’s on top of the fact that when v1.03 of Dead or Alive 5 finally comes out on the Xbox 360 version, users on that platform will not be privy to a YouTube replay uploading feature that’s PS3 exclusive (although both versions will be able to upload replays to Facebook).

Help me understand this, Team Ninja, didn’t Dead or Alive Xtreme – from which Zack Island was taken and made into a DOA5 stage – come out on the Xbox 360 first (Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 was subsequently ported and remade as Dead or Alive: Paradise for the PSP)? Why the sudden change of heart?

In any case, all of the new stuff mentioned above will be made available to Xbox 360 owners come January 29.