Ninja Gaiden Returns: Spencer Announces Revival

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 collaborative effort between the three companies.

Spencer confirmed discussions began as early as 2017, when he first approached Team Ninja about a sequel. Years of deliberation culminated in a perfect partnership with PlatinumGames, renowned for their expertise in fast-paced action games like Bayonetta and NieR: Automata.

The recent announcement of Ninja Gaiden 4 coincided with a surprise re-release of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, an enhanced version of the Xbox 360 classic, now available on Xbox, PlayStation 5, and PC.

Initial trailers showcase Ryu Hayabusa as the protagonist in this action-packed slasher. 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, a highly anticipated addition to Koei Tecmo's acclaimed series, also generated significant buzz. Its release is slated for Fall 2025.