Fans of recent Dragon Ball titles have been buzzing with one question is Gohan Black playable in Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero or other games? With Gohan Black appearing in the story mode as a battle opponent, many wonder whether he can be unlocked and controlled by players. The answer is nuanced officially, Gohan Black is not a standard playable character. However, the concept and files exist in the game, and some players can access him through custom battle modes or mods. This topic explores the current status, what the developers might add in the future, and why the character is so popular with the community.
Who Is Gohan Black?
The WhatIf Character in Sparking! Zero
Gohan Black is introduced as an alternate version of Gohan in Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero’s WhatIf story mode. In one branching episode, Zamasu swaps bodies with Gohan instead of Goku, creating Gohan Black. Players fight him as an antagonist during that scenario, and he has unique dialogue and a distinct visual design contentReference[oaicite0].
Why Fans Are Excited
Despite appearing as a story opponent, Gohan Black was never made available in the character select roster at launch. Fans have noticed that the game files contain his model and moves. Some mods even unlock him for custom battles fueling speculation that he may become an official DLC character in the future contentReference[oaicite1].
Current Playability Status
Not Playable in Official Modes
As of the latest updates, Gohan Black is not officially playable in Sparking! Zero. He cannot be selected in standard modes such as Versus, Arcade, or Story mode beyond being an enemy in that particular What-If battle contentReference[oaicite2].
Playable via Mods in Custom Battles
On PC, some players use mods to unlock Gohan Black for custom battles. This access is unofficial, not allowed in online play, and may lead to bans. Still, it demonstrates that the character’s data exists in the game and functions in vitro as a playable fighter contentReference[oaicite3].
Potential for Future DLC
DLC Likely Down the Line
Given his presence in the game files and fans’ comments about how the developers might avoid revealing him too early, many speculate that he will be added later as DLC or as an alternate costume. His existence in story mode suggests he could be released officially with a polish similar to other WhatIf characters contentReference[oaicite4].
Precedent from Other Characters
The game’s first DLC pack added numerous Gohan variants (Ultimate, Super Hero, Beast forms) and other characters from Dragon Ball Super. While Gohan Black isn’t included yet, similar characters like Beast Gohan show how a previously non-playable form can be introduced after launch contentReference[oaicite5].
Community Feedback and Expectations
Reddit Reactions
- He’s just a skin or reskin of Goku Black, with no playable release yet.
- Mods let you play him now, but official support would be ideal.
- We fight him in-story; why not let us play him?
These recurring sentiments on Reddit highlight the demand for an official Gohan Black release contentReference[oaicite6].
Speculation vs. Confirmation
No official announcement has confirmed his playability as of now. Publications reference the leaked VJump scan and ingame files as evidence that he may arrive later, but the developers have not confirmed this yet contentReference[oaicite7].
Is Gohan Black in Other Games?
Dragon Ball FighterZ and Other Titles
Gohan Black is not part of the roster in Dragon Ball FighterZ or Xenoverse 2. That said, adult Gohan (Ultimate) and Goku Black are playable in FightingZ and Xenoverse, respectively contentReference[oaicite8].
Unique to Sparking! Zero
Gohan Black is a character created for Sparking! Zero’s alternate storyline. Other official Dragon Ball titles have not featured him, and players aren’t able to select him in those games.
Summary Table
- Official RosterNot playable.
- Story ModeAppears as a boss in a WhatIf scenario.
- Custom Battles (Unofficial)Playable via mods on PC.
- Future DLCFan speculation anticipates DLC or costume release.
As it stands, Gohan Black is not officially playable in Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero. He appears as a boss in the WhatIf story mode, and players have discovered his model in game files. Modders have unlocked him for custom battles, showing proof of concept but those methods are unofficial and carry risk. While fans remain hopeful, there is no confirmed DLC release yet. However, given how the developers have handled similar characters, official playability in a future update remains a strong possibility. For now, Gohan Black exists in limbo built into the game with potential, yet not available to the wider player base.