Team Ninja’s long-dormant Ninja Gaiden series is getting some new blood later this year, with Ninja Gaiden 4 set for release in Spring 2024 (NZ time). Koei Tecmo and Microsoft announced the new game at the Xbox Developer Direct this week, and to make the announcement even more exciting, Ninja Gaiden 4 is a collaboration between two action game powerhouses—Team Ninja and PlatinumGames.
Ninja Gaiden 4 some time after Ninja Gaiden 3 in a corrupted, near-future Tokyo. It introduces a new protagonist, Yakumo, whose unknown mission seemingly puts him at odds with longtime Ninja Gaiden star Ryu Hayabusa, although the older ninja is a playable character for at least some parts of the game, too. Yakumo’s combat style is designed around his unique “Bloodraven Form”, which “manipulates the blood of oneself and enemies, transforming it into a massive weapon capable of slicing through multiple foes at once.”
Ninja Gaiden 4 is being co-developed by Team Ninja and PlatinumGames, two studios that both have a strong pedigree in action games but have quite different styles. PlatinumGames titles like Bayonetta and NieR: Automata tend to be flashy, acrobatic, and approachable, while Team Ninja tends toward more intense, brutal, challenging affairs like Ninja Gaiden and Nioh. It’ll be interesting to see how the studios’ different strengths come together.
Additionally, Koei Tecmo announced and shadow-dropped Ninja Gaiden II Black, a remastered release of 2008’s Ninja Gaiden II. Intended as a “definitive version” of the game similar to Ninja Gaiden Black (hence the name), this new version includes the extra content from the Ninja Gaiden Sigma II (including extra playable characters Momiji, Ayane, and Rachel), while restoring the blood and gore that Sigma II toned down and reverting the weapon upgrade system to that of the Xbox 360 version.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is coming to Xbox Series, PlayStation 5, and PC in Spring 2025 (NZ time), and will be on Xbox Game Pass from launch day. Ninja Gaiden II Black is available now, on those same platforms.
