Team Ninja’s long-held ambition to create a new Ninja Gaiden installment faced a hurdle: finding the right concept. This changed when Koei Tecmo president Hisashi Koinuma and PlatinumGames head Atsushi Inaba discussed the project, leading to Phil Spencer’s involvement. Spencer proposed a collaboration between the three companies, a suggestion that ultimately propelled the game into development.
Spencer confirmed discussions began as early as 2017, when he first approached Team Ninja about a potential sequel. Years of deliberation culminated in a perfect partnership: PlatinumGames, renowned for its high-octane action titles like Bayonetta and NieR: Automata, joined the project.
The surprise announcement of Ninja Gaiden 4 last week was accompanied by the unexpected release of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, a remastered version of the Xbox 360 classic, now available on Xbox, PlayStation 5, and PC.
Initial trailers showcase Ryu Hayabusa as the protagonist, promising a thrilling action-packed experience. Gameplay footage reveals new mechanics, including swift traversal using wires and rails, a departure from previous entries in the series.
While DOOM: The Dark Ages dominated the Developer_Direct, the reveal of Ninja Gaiden 4—the highly anticipated sequel to Koei Tecmo's acclaimed series—generated significant buzz. The game is slated for release in Fall 2025.
