Over a decade after Ninja Gaiden 3, which released in 2012, Ninja Gaiden 4 is coming in 2025 as a collaboration between Koei Tecmo's Team Ninja and independent studio PlatinumGames, which is known for over-the-top action games including Bayonetta and Nier: Automata. It's being published by Xbox Game Studios, so you can expect it on Game Pass, but the PC version will also release on Steam.
"We are staying true to the challenge and deep action that defines the Ninja Gaiden series while incorporating the speed and dynamic expression of PlatinumGames," said PlatinumGames producer and director Yuji Nakao in a video shown at Thursday's Xbox Developer Direct.
Ninja Gaiden 4 will star a new ninja, the young Yakumo, but previous protagonist Ryu Hayabusa will play a "pivotal role" as his rival.
The flashy action game is set in a sopping wet Tokyo that's been cursed by the Dark Dragon, who you can probably guess is Ninja Gaiden 4's antagonist (and is genuinely a dragon).
"We are preserving the dark, hardcore atmosphere of the series," said Yudai Abe, level design and environment lead at PlatinumGames. "With curses and chaotic landscapes, the world evokes a heightened sense of danger at every turn."
Ninja Gaiden 4 is set to release fall 2025. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, a remake of Ninja Gaiden 2 (the 2008 Xbox 360 game, not the NES and DOS game from 1990), also surprise released today, and this has all prompted Team Ninja and Microsoft to call 2025 "The Year of the Ninja."
I'm not sure a couple Ninja Gaidens is enough to make the whole year ninja-themed, but I suppose we are getting a playable ninja in Assassin's Creed Shadows, too. You know, why am I complaining? I'm perfectly happy for it to be The Year of the Ninja.
You can read more about Ninja Gaiden 4 on the Xbox blog.
