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, most notably the Ninja Gaiden series. The studio also boasts the Dead or Alive fighting game franchise, though fans have been eagerly awaiting a new mainline entry since the last release in 2019.
In recent years, Team Ninja has expanded its portfolio to include action soulslike RPGs. The critically acclaimed Nioh series, set in the Edo period, is a prime example of the studio's venture into this genre. Additionally, Team Ninja has collaborated with Square Enix on the Final Fantasy prequel, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, and developed Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, a soulslike inspired by Chinese mythology. The studio's 2024 release, the PlayStation 5 exclusive Rise of the Ronin, further solidified their prowess in action RPGs. As we approach 2025, Team Ninja has hinted at ambitious plans to celebrate their 30th anniversary.
In an interview with 4Gamer.net, as reported by Gematsu, Team Ninja's Fumihiko Yasuda expressed the team's desire to release titles that honor this significant milestone. Yasuda's comments were somewhat cryptic, but they suggest that the studio might focus on their flagship franchises, Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden. "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
The excitement around Team Ninja's plans for 2025 was heightened by the announcement of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound at The Game Awards 2024. This new side-scrolling entry, developed in collaboration with Dot Emu, aims to revive the classic 8-bit era gameplay and difficulty of Ninja Gaiden while incorporating modern elements reminiscent of the series' 3D iterations. The last mainline Ninja Gaiden game, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, released in 2014, left fans divided due to its zombie theme.
Meanwhile, the Dead or Alive franchise, which last saw a mainline fighting game with Dead or Alive 6 in 2019, has since been sustained by spin-offs like Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Scarlet and Venus Vacation Prism: Dead or Alive Xtreme. Fans are hopeful that Team Ninja will bring new life to this beloved series in honor of their 30th anniversary. Additionally, there is anticipation for further developments in the Nioh series.
With these teasers and announcements, Team Ninja's 30th anniversary promises to be a thrilling year for fans and gamers alike, eagerly awaiting what the studio has in store.
