Ninja Gaiden 4 Is Already 70-80% Complete, Now in Polishing Phase for PS5 1

Ninja Gaiden 4, a surprise announcement last week, is already 70-80% complete. In fact, the game is currently being polished ahead of its launch on the PS5 later this year.

PlatinumGames’ Yuji Nakao revealed the tidbit in an interview with the Xbox Wire, adding that his team is continuing to collaborate with Team Ninja to ensure “every detail meets the expectations of fans”.

He said: “There’s more information coming that will help you understand just how fun and exciting this game is, so please stay tuned. As both a fan and a developer, I’ll do my utmost to deliver an experience that satisfies everyone.”

Subscribe to Push Square on YouTube157k
Watch on YouTube

The sequel is set years after Ninja Gaiden 3 in a drizzly, cyberpunk incarnation of Tokyo. It’ll feature a new protagonist named Yakumo, but franchise favourite Ryu Hayabusa will also return – and will be playable, too.

“It’s been a while since the last game, so we wanted a new hero to make the series more approachable for new players,” explained Nakao.

“Of course, we also wanted long-time fans to enjoy the game, so Ryu Hayabusa plays a significant role in the story, serving as a major challenge and growth milestone for Yakumo. Ryu will appear throughout the game and be playable, ensuring his prowess and presence is deeply felt.”

As for the reason behind the franchise’s return, well, it sounds like we can thank Xbox boss Phil Spencer for that!

“Koei Tecmo’s president, Hisashi Koinuma, and PlatinumGames’ CEO, Atsushi Inaba, share a close relationship, which led us to explore a collaborative development effort,” Team Ninja’s Fumihiko Yasuda revealed.

“PlatinumGames had the expertise we felt was ideal for working on Ninja Gaiden, and with support from Microsoft’s Phil Spencer, the three companies were able to take the next step towards creating a brand-new Ninja Gaiden.”

You’ll be able to play it at launch later this year on the PS5.

[source news.xbox.com]