Team Ninja and Platinum Games announced Ninja Gaiden 4 as the Xbox Developer Direct's surprise game reveal. Despite the numbering, Team Ninja said Ninja Gaiden 4 isn't quite a direct sequel, as it stars a new protagonist named Yakuma who acts in opposition to Ryu Hayabusa, the series' previous hero.
"A significant amount of time has passed since Ninja Gaiden 3, and players will find themselves arriving in a gruesomely transformed Tokyo," producer Yuji Nakao said in an Xbox blog post. "One of the key themes of this story is the return of the Dark Dragon, which has plunged the city into chaos. Within these unsettling conditions, Yakumo will have to face off against his foes, as well as the formidable Master Ninja himself, Ryu Hayabusa."
Ninja Gaiden 4 takes place in a futuristic Tokyo overrun with monsters from another world and under threat from the Dark Dragon, the embodiment of hatred and a recurring antagonist in Koei Tecmo's action series. Yakuma uses a fresh set of ninja skills to navigate the city and its hazards, including a wall jump, rail grinding Tony Hawk-style, and wire skills that also play a role in combat.
Yakumo can switch between the Bloodraven style, a variation of Ninja Gaiden's classic sword fighting, and Nue style, characterized by fast attacks with far-reaching ranges that result in frenetic battles Koei Tecmo said were a new experience for the studio and the series alike. However, Platinum Games, the team behind the Bayonetta trilogy, Astral Chain, and NieR: Automata, is well-versed in creating these kinds of high-speed action games.
"One of the key differences between modern action games and Ninja Gaiden lies in the sense of fairness when confronting enemies," Nakao said. "Enemies are designed to be masters of defense and experts of unrelenting aggression, but players never feel they're at an unfair disadvantage. There's a sense of balance that's been passed down through the series, transcending current-day trends."
Ninja Gaiden 4 is expected to release in fall 2025 for Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PlayStation 5.
Koei Tecmo also announced that Ninja Gaiden 2: Black, a remake of the series' second game, is available now for PC and consoles. Ninja Gaiden 2: Black features enhanced visuals compared to the original 2008 game and quality-of-life improvements to character and weapon upgrades.