As promised, Microsoft unveiled a new, unannounced game during its Xbox Developer Direct on Thursday: Team Ninja’s Ninja Gaiden is back with a new mainline entry, a revival of a franchise that’s been dormant since 2012’s Ninja Gaiden 3. In a surprise reveal, Ninja Gaiden 4 is being co-developed by Team Ninja and PlatinumGames, developer of the Bayonetta franchise and Nier: Automata.
Ninja Gaiden 4 will be released in fall 2025 on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X, and it’ll be available through Game Pass.
The game will be set after the events of Ninja Gaiden 3 in a largely abandoned Tokyo that has been overwhelmed by demons and other servants of the Dark Dragon. Players will once again assume the role of master ninja Ryu Hayabusa, in addition to a second, new protagonist: Yakumo, a new master ninja and a member of the rival Raven clan.
Yakumo will employ two play styles: the Raven style and the Nué style, the latter of which will let the ninja take on multiple enemies at once using far-reaching attacks. Developers from Team Ninja and PlatinumGames say that classic Ninja Gaiden moves and combat will be part of the game as well, so get ready to Inazuma Drop fools over and over again.
Despite the new protagonist and speedy new play style, developers said that Ninja Gaiden 4 will preserve the dark, hardcore atmosphere of the series.
That’s not the only Ninja Gaiden-related announcement Team Ninja had to share during Thursday’s Xbox Developer Direct, however. The studio also stealth-dropped Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, a new version of Ninja Gaiden 2 that offers a massive visual upgrade of the original 2008 Xbox 360 game, rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5. In addition to protagonist Ryu Hayabusa, the Black re-release lets players battle as Ayane, Momiji, and Rachel.
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is available now on PS5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X.
Holy shit. I'd buy this day one simply due to Platinum's history of phenomenal games, but I won't even have to thanks to Game Pass. This was a major announcement!