Summary
- Team Ninja teases significant plans for its 30th anniversary celebration.
- In addition to Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive, the studio has developed successful soulslike RPGs, including the Nioh series and collaborations with Square Enix.
- Fans are eagerly speculating about potential releases in 2025 from Team Ninja.
Koei Tecmo's Team Ninja studio has teased some exciting plans for the developer's milestone 30th anniversary. Team Ninja, a subsidiary of Koei Tecmo, is renowned for its hack-and-slash action games, particularly the Ninja Gaiden franchise. The Dead or Alive fighting game series is another hallmark of Team Ninja, although the last mainline entry was released in 2019.
Beyond these well-known franchises, Team Ninja has ventured into the realm of action soulslike RPGs in recent years. The Nioh series, set during the Edo period, has been a standout, captivating players with its challenging gameplay and rich historical setting. Team Ninja's collaboration with Square Enix on Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, as well as the release of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, a soulslike inspired by Chinese mythology, further showcase the studio's versatility. In 2024, Team Ninja released Rise of the Ronin exclusively for the PlayStation 5, which received critical acclaim. As gamers look forward to 2025, Team Ninja has hinted at some of its plans to celebrate the studio's 30th anniversary.
In a round-up of Japanese developer ambitions by 4Gamer.net (as reported by Gematsu), Team Ninja's Fumihiko Yasuda shared the studio's intentions for the upcoming year. Yasuda mentioned that Team Ninja aims to release titles that are "fitting for the occasion." While he remained vague about the specific games planned, it's speculated that the anniversary might see new entries or updates to Team Ninja's iconic Dead or Alive or Ninja Gaiden franchises. "In 2025, Team Ninja will celebrate its 30th anniversary, and we hope to announce and release titles fitting for the occasion," Yasuda stated.
Team Ninja's Potential Plans in 2025
Recently, Ninja Gaiden is set to make a comeback in 2025, as announced at The Game Awards 2024 in December. Koei Tecmo and Dot Emu are collaborating on a new side-scrolling game titled Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, which aims to merge the series' classic 8-bit gameplay and difficulty with modern elements reminiscent of the 3D entries. The last mainline entry, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, released in 2014, was a divisive zombie-themed title.
The other iconic IP associated with Team Ninja, Dead or Alive, has not seen a new mainline fighting game since 2019's Dead or Alive 6. Recent years have only brought spin-offs like Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Scarlet and Venus Vacation Prism: Dead or Alive Xtreme. Fans are hopeful that Dead or Alive will receive attention from Team Ninja in 2025 as part of the studio's 30th anniversary celebrations. Additionally, fans are eager for new developments in the Nioh series.
