Summary
- Team Ninja teases big plans for its 30th anniversary.
- Beyond Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive, the studio has developed other successful soulslike RPGs, including the Nioh series and collaborations with Square Enix.
- Fans speculate what releases could be coming in 2025 from Team Ninja.
Koei Tecmo's Team Ninja studio has teased some exciting plans for the developer's milestone 30th anniversary. As a subsidiary of Koei Tecmo, Team Ninja is renowned for its action-packed hack-and-slash games, notably the iconic Ninja Gaiden franchise. Another hallmark of Team Ninja's portfolio is the Dead or Alive fighting game series, though fans have been eagerly awaiting a new mainline entry since the release of Dead or Alive 6 in 2019.
While Team Ninja is most celebrated for these franchises, the developer has also ventured into the realm of action soulslike RPGs in the 2020s. The Nioh series, set during the Edo period, has garnered significant acclaim. Furthermore, Team Ninja's collaboration with Square Enix on the Final Fantasy prequel, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, and their historical fantasy soulslike inspired by Chinese mythology, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, have both been well-received. The year 2024 saw the launch of the PlayStation 5 exclusive, Rise of the Ronin, which also received high praise from critics. As we approach 2025, Team Ninja teases some intriguing plans for the year, marking the studio's 30th anniversary.
In a recent round-up by 4Gamer.net of Japanese developer ambitions (spotted by Gematsu), Team Ninja's Fumihiko Yasuda discussed the studio's plans for the anniversary. He hinted at the release of titles that would be "fitting for the occasion," though specifics were not disclosed. This has led to speculation that Team Ninja might focus on their flagship franchises, Dead or Alive or Ninja Gaiden. Yasuda stated, "In 2025, Team Ninja will celebrate its 30th anniversary, and we hope to announce and release titles fitting for the occasion."
Team Ninja's Potential Plans in 2025
Exciting news for Ninja Gaiden fans came at The Game Awards 2024 in December, where Koei Tecmo and Dot Emu announced a new side-scrolling entry, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound. This game aims to fuse the classic 8-bit gameplay and challenging difficulty of the series with modern elements, drawing closer to the 3D iterations. The last mainline Ninja Gaiden game, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, released in 2014, was quite divisive among fans due to its zombie theme.
On the other hand, the Dead or Alive franchise has been quiet since the 2019 release of Dead or Alive 6, with only spin-offs like Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Scarlet and Venus Vacation Prism: Dead or Alive Xtreme filling the gap. Many fans are hopeful that Team Ninja will bring some love to Dead or Alive in 2025, coinciding with the studio's 30th anniversary celebrations. Additionally, there is a strong desire among fans for more content related to the Nioh series this year.
