After over a decade, Team Ninja has announcedNinja Gaiden 4will arrive in Fall 2025. The title, created in collaboration between Team Ninja and Platinum Games, revisits the developer’s iconic action series with a new take on combat and platforming, and planty of fast-paced action. Players will get to fight and platform their way through the first main entry in the series since 2012’sNinja Gaiden.
Ninja Gaiden 4was announced during theXbox Developer Direct, where gameplay footage and developer interviews revealed more details about what to expect when the title arrives on the Xbox, PC, and PS5. The new game in the franchise, created in collaboration between Team Ninja and Platinum Games, revisits the developer’s iconic action series, andwill include the previous games' iconic protagonist Ryu Hayabusa in a new role.
Ninja Gaiden 4 Will Feature A New Protagonist
Ryu Hayabusa Will Still Play A “Pivotal Role”
Set in the neon-lit streets of Tokyo,Ninja Gaiden 4will follow Yakumo, a young member of the Raven clan, as heembarks on a mission to defeat the Dark Dragon, whose dark powers still hold the world in its clutches. Yakumo brings a new perspective to the title, as his clan are rivals of the Hayabusa clan and he appears to have a personal grudge against Ryu Hayabusa himself. The trailer reveals a glimpst of a battle between the two ninjas, as Yakuma tella Ryu to back off so he can finish his mission.
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The game will be set in the aftermath ofNinja Gaiden 3,in a world ravaged by eternal rain and darkness. Although he’s not the game’s protagonist, Ryu Hayabusa will play a “pivotal role in the story,” according to Fumihiko Yasuda, the Producer and had of Team Ninja. As the game progresses, the new protagonist and the legendary ninja will clash, slowly revealing Ryu’s motivation.
Our Take: Ninja Gaiden 4 Takes Some Bold New Steps
The Series' Protagonist And Developer Shifts Signal A New Era
The new title changes many aspects of theNinja Gaidenseries, and turning the long-time protagonist into a potential adversary is a bold move on Team Ninja’s part. In another series first,Team Ninja is collaborating with Platinum Games in developing the title. Platinum Games are no strangers to action and lore, having worked on theBayonettagames andNier: Automata.The bold changes show how much the title has moved on in the past 10 years, ushering in a new era for the game franchise.
Fans of the series will be glad to know thatthese changes won’t take the game too far from its origins,though. Platinum Games' Level Design and Environment Lead Yudai Abe assures fans that the game will still feel like aNinja Gaidengame. “We are preserving the dark, hardcore atmosphere of the series,” says Abe, promising a world that’s full of danger “at every turn.”
Ninja Gaiden 4will release on Xbox, PC, and PS5 in Fall 2025. Aremake ofNinja Gaiden 2as well as a spinoff titleNinja Gaiden Radeboundare also currently in development as Team Ninja kicks off “Year Of The Ninja.”
