As revealed in the Xbox Developer Direct 2025 presentation, the Ninja Gaiden series is getting a surprise sequel in the form of Ninja Gaiden 4, over a decade since the initial release of the last game in the series. Developed by Team Ninja in collaboration with Platinum Games, Ninja Gaiden 4 is the first mainline sequel in the series since the release of Ninja Gaiden 3 in 2012, and its reveal at the Developer Direct comes shortly after the reveal of the side-scrolling spinoff Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound at the 2024 Game Awards.

Despite being one of Team Ninja's flagship franchises, Ninja Gaiden has remained almost entirely inactive since 2012, with no modern releases outside Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection, a bundle of the original three games, in 2021. Instead, Team Ninja has mostly leaned towards developing soulslikes, with its more recent titles like historical epic Rise of the Rōnin, Three-Kingdoms-era Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, and the Nioh series all sharing a similar souls-adjacent framework. In an unexpected move, however, Team Ninja's newest game seems to be reviving Ninja Gaiden with a return to the studio's roots.

Ninja Gaiden 4 Will Release Fall 2025

Ninja Gaiden 4 Releases 13 Years After The Series' Last Game

As per the game's initial announcement, Ninja Gaiden 4 is set for release in Fall 2025, with an exact date presumably to be revealed closer to the game's release window. Despite being revealed in an Xbox presentation, the game will be available on both Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 consoles, as well as on PC, through platforms like Steam. Importantly, the game will also be available on Xbox Game on day one of its release, which should be a good option for those looking to play the game on a budget.

Notably, the planned release window will place Ninja Gaiden 4's launch at over 13 years after the release of Ninja Gaiden 3, more than tripling the gap between the release dates of the first three games. Seemingly as a result of this long absence, NG4 is also introducing some significant shakeups to the series' established gameplay and story, including a new character who will serve as one of the game's main playable protagonists alongside series mascot Ryu Hayabusa.

Ninja Gaiden 4's New Protagonist & Confirmed Characters

Ninja Gaiden 4 Introduces A New Main Character - But Still Brings Back Ryu Hayabusa

In a major shift for the series, Ninja Gaiden 4 will feature an entirely new main protagonist, Yakumo, a young ninja from the Raven clan, who differs from Ryu in of moveset and playstyle. Notably, unlike in past Ninja Gaiden games where other characters were playable, Yakumo is not a side character to Ryu, but equally important in the game's story and gameplay, if not more so, making him similar to other "replacement" protagonists like Raiden, Nero, or Viola, from Metal Gear Solid 2, Devil May Cry 4, and Bayonetta 3, respectively.

Despite the introduction of Yakumo, Ryu Hayabusa will also return as a playable character in Ninja Gaiden 4, with a moveset that seems to closely resemble his appearances in past Ninja Gaiden games. Currently, not much has been revealed about Ryu's involvement in the story of NG4, but the game's trailer depicts him coming into conflict with Yakumo, and it seems likely that Yakumo and Ryu will each have their own distinct sections of the game where they are playable, again mirroring the structure of the later DMC or Bayonetta games.

Aside from Yakumo and Ryu, no other characters in NG4 have been confirmed by name, but it has been confirmed that the Divine Dragon Order will be a major antagonistic faction, and the game will feature a blend of robotic, sci-fi themed enemies and more traditional-looking demonic foes. These enemies include a large, futuristic-looking samurai and a white-haired demon wielding an umbrella, both of which seem to be relatively major boss fights in the game.

Ninja Gaiden 4 Story & Gameplay Details

The Newest Ninja Gaiden Keeps The Series' Fast-Paced Combat

Potentially because of the long gap between Ninja Gaiden 3 and 4, the story of NG4 seems to be set after a significant time skip from 3, taking place in a futuristic, abandoned Tokyo suffering under the "Rain of Darkrot." The story, as presented in the Developer Direct, has Yakumo attempting to fight through Tokyo and ultimately defeat the Dark Dragon, the source of the rain, to bring peace to Tokyo - a goal which the Divine Dragon Order and demons apparently stand in the way of.

Ninja Gaiden 2 Black was also revealed at the Developer Direct, a remake of the 2008 game.

In of gameplay, Ninja Gaiden 4 seemingly attempts to preserve the speed and difficulty of the classic games, but also gives players new tools through the introduction of Yakumo, who can be seen using parries, perfect dodges, and his unique Nué Style, which allows for the use of hard-hitting attacks that cover a wide area. Mechanics from past Ninja Gaiden games, like Obliteration Techniques (executions) and Ultimate Techniques also return in 4, as do iconic moves like the Izuna Drop.

Although classic Ninja Gaiden moves like the Izuna Drop or Flying Swallow are heavily associated with Ryu, both Yakumo and Ryu will be able to perform the moves in Ninja Gaiden 4, though each character's moveset will differ in other ways.

While not much was detailed about Ryu's gameplay, brief showcases of his combat style seem to place him more closely to the series' traditional combat, and he and Yakumo will have distinct playstyles and movesets that will serve to differentiate them from each other. Additionally, while combat remains the main focus of Ninja Gaiden 4, the game will also feature some amount of exploration, with optional secrets to discover, and rail grinding sections where players will have to avoid obstacles to proceed.

Overall, Ninja Gaiden 4 looks like a major shift in the series, as can be expected after a 13-year gap, and it remains to be seen if the game can manage to draw in newcomers while still pleasing old fans. Platinum's influence on the game is clear, and the game has already drawn some comparisons to the beloved Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, but that may actually come as a negative for some die-hard fans of classic Ninja Gaiden. Whatever the case, after such a long wait, Ninja Gaiden 4 will have a lot of prove when it releases in Fall 2025.

Source: Xbox/YouTube