Ninja Gaiden Returns: Spencer's Announcement

Team Ninja’s long-held ambition to create a new Ninja Gaiden installment faced a hurdle: finding the right concept. Discussions between Koei Tecmo president Hisashi Koinuma, PlatinumGames head Atsushi Inaba, and ultimately, Phil Spencer, led to a collaborative effort between the three companies. Spencer confirmed these talks began as early as 2017, culminating in a partnership with PlatinumGames, whose expertise in fast-paced action games like Bayonetta and NieR: Automata proved the perfect fit.

The surprise announcement of Ninja Gaiden 4 last week coincided with 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 in this action-packed slasher. Gameplay footage reveals new mechanics, including swift traversal using wires and rails, setting Ninja Gaiden 4 apart from its predecessors.

While DOOM: The Dark Ages dominated the Developer_Direct, the reveal of Ninja Gaiden 4 was a significant highlight. The game is slated for release in Fall 2025.