Microsoft have brought development work on Contraband, the co-op smuggling game that Just Cause developers Avalanche Studios announced back in 2021, to a standstill. That’s the official line, while a report from Bloomberg claims the game’s been cancelled outright.
Nintendo has announced a new claymation Mario show that’s set to premiere on YouTube. The series, which will feature kid-friendly animated episodes just one-minute in length, will launch alongside a major new push by Nintendo for the kid’s product market, with a range of toys, picture books, and more released under a new “My Mario” banner.
Notably, this range includes a set of wooden blocks that you can use as amiibo figurines. Other products on the way include a set of plastic tableware, a board book, a backpack, a plushie Mario, rattles and items of baby and toddler clothing including T-shirts and Mario hoodie.
My Mario has interactive elements too, including a My Mario app for smartphones and Switch consoles where you can play with Mario’s face, like a 2D version of the Mario 64 start menu.
The Hello Mario app will launch for iPhone and Android devices on August 26 in Japan, with the rest of the My Mario range set to arrive there on August 28. Nintendo has plans for an international My Mario launch, it has said, but not until the beginning of 2026.
While designed for kids, it’s easy to see some of these products becoming collector’s items — in particular the wooden blocks set which features Mario, Peach, Luigi and Yoshi alongside a range of Mushroom Kingdom props like a Mushroom and Fire Flower.
Nintendo has said that these figures can be used as their appropriate amiibo in compatible games, adding to their worth — though you’ll need to green shell out around $135 for the set (and also, at least until next year, be in the position to buy it from Japan).
The original Super Mario Bros. celebrates its 40th anniversary on September 13, while the coming year will see the launch of the next Super Mario Movie. Potentially titled Super Mario World, it’ll launch in theaters on April 3, 2026.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
LEGO fans are in for a treat with not one but two new titles announced today for the Switch and both are due out later this year.
First up we’ve got LEGO Voyagers – a new two-player co-op adventure all about “friendship and play”. There’ll even be a “Friend’s Pass” a bit like Hazelight’s games (Split Fiction) where you can play together with just one copy of the game.
Akatsuki Games has announced that its game based on the hugely popular manga and anime series Kaiju No. 8 will be released globally for Android and iOS on August 31st (JST), with a PC version to follow later.
Kaiju No. 8 tells the story of Kafka Hibino, a member of the crews that clean up after kaiju threats have been eliminated in greater Tokyo, but who longs to be a soldier in the Japan Defense Force (JDF), and actually be on the front lines. With goofy humour, slick action, an endearing protagonist and some pretty wild twists and turns, it’s a fun series. Its second season is airing now, but you can read our review of season one here.
Kaiju No. 8 The Game will let you take control of a host of fan favourite members of the JDF including Kikoru Shinomiya, Reno Ichikawa, Mina Ashiro, Gen Narumi and Soshiro Hoshina, and form them into four person squads to do battle against a new kaiju threat. What’s going on? Strange Dimensional Gates are opening up all over the place and otherworldly kaiju are flooding in.
The game also introduces a special unit named CLOZER, which exists to deal with the Dimensional Gates, and is commanded by a brand new character – Kikoru Shinomiya’s sister, Sagan Shinomiya. Other new characters introduced in the game include Chester Lochburn, CLOZER’s strategist who is able to wield a wide range of weapons, and Suited, the brains behind CLOZER’s weapons development.
Kaiju No. 8 The Game features a turn-based battle system that lets your squad work together to expose the core of the kaiju you’re facing in order to dispatch them, and fights scale all the way from confrontations with smaller Yoju through to skyscraper-sized beasts capable of razing cities.
Can this free-to-play live service title capture the intensity of the source material’s battles? And when will it be set in the timeline? Find out on August 31.
Cam Shea headed up Australia’s editorial team for many years but these days mostly lives and breathes craft beer.
Earlier today, Nintendo announced it was releasing a new range of Mario-themed products, and while it is marketed towards parents and children, the ‘wood block’ sets on the way will actually double as amiibo figures.
Free-to-play time-traveling strategic RPG Reverse: 1999 just launched its biggest collaboration yet, its first to ever launch simultaneously worldwide, and it teamed up with another time-jumping franchise to do it: Assassin’s Creed. The collab adds new story chapters and popular characters Ezio, Kassandra, and Alexios, all three of whom will be playable.
Reverse: 1999 first launched in 2023 and has seen global success in the time since. It’s been downloaded more than 30 million times worldwide and stands at “very positive” with more than 2,500 reviews on Steam. Those fans have been clamoring for this collab since it was first announced earlier this year, and there’s been particular excitement about the addition of Ezio — as you can see from the 270,000 views and hundreds of comments on his official trailer.
While the characters and story content might be the headliners of this collab, there’s a lot more to it than that. You can see Assassin’s Creed inspirations in the UI, music, and garments that have been added. Plus, there are free goodies being given away (including Alexios), extra prizes in the gacha system designed to make it easier to pull the new characters, and both online and offline events to celebrate.
Let’s get into the details, shall we?
Familiar Faces in a Journey Through History
Reverse: 1999’s story takes you through different eras of history, and that trend continues with this crossover, whose new content will be released in two phases. Phase 1 is live right now and will run until September 18. It adds a story chapter that brings you to Florence, Italy, where you’ll meet the legendary Ezio Auditore da Firenze from Assassin’s Creed II.
The collaboration trailer hints at how the story of Phase 1 will bring you into contact with Ezio. Mr. APPLe, one of the important characters of Reverse: 1999, is mistaken for a fabled Apple of Eden and must be protected. He’s nearly dissected by Leonardo da Vinci, another character from Assassin’s Creed II who plays a significant role in the Phase 1 story.
Ezio’s character trailer shows some of the memories from his journey in Assassin’s Creed II — his assassinations, gathering feathers for his brother, the tragic execution of his family — materializing into different weapons, which references the unique ability he brings into Reverse: 1999. He can wield several different primary and secondary weapons and can swap them out as needed, so he’s always ready for any situation.
Like all other 6-star characters, Ezio comes with two garments, the second of which is unlocked after increasing his Insight level. His first garment is the assassins’ classic white robe, and his second (featured in the photo of him above) is the Armor of Altair from Assassin’s Creed II, which was built by and named after the hero of the original Assassin’s Creed.
Kassandra and Alexios will join in on the fun when the story shifts to Ancient Greece in Phase 2 of the collab, which will run from August 28 to September 18. Like Ezio, Kassandra will get a unique ability designed to make her adaptable: She has three skill trees (Hunter, Warrior, and Assassin) and can switch between them.
Beyond the characters and plot, Assassin’s Creed fans will notice other references. The level selection interface adopts the genetic sequence design of the Animus, and music — including the familiar song “Ezio’s Family” — has been pulled from the Assassin’s Creed series. The Into the Shadows mode will let you see the villa in Monteriggioni and complete events in Florence and Venice to experience the Renaissance assassin life like Ezio.
Dress Up for the Special Collab
It wouldn’t be a Reverse: 1999 update without new garments, and this collab is no exception. Four characters have new garments inspired by Assassin’s Creed and Greek mythology (pictured below). Hissabeth’s new look is inspired by Medusa, the famous snake-haired Gorgon from Greek myth who put up a hell of a fight in Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey. The art showing off her new garment shows her dancing between Medusa’s two sisters frozen in stone, the crown she wears pays homage to Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey’s Medusa design, and the artifact she’s holding resembles an Apple of Eden.
Marcus’s new garment draws from the myth of the musician Orpheus, who traveled to the underworld and used his music to convince Hades to let him take back his deceased wife Eurydice, on the condition that he not look back at her until they reached the surface. During their ascension, Orpheus was overcome with doubt and couldn’t help looking back, and Eurydice was taken from him forever. Marcus’s art recalls this moment of legend, as she glances back and offers her hand to guide her fallen friends to the gates of the underworld.
Vila gets a new garment inspired by the Sirens of Homer’s Odyssey who would lure sailors to their deaths with their beautiful song. Her artwork shows her standing among violet waves and singing as storms gather around her, and the Poseidon statue beside her is pulled directly from Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey.
Last but certainly not least, APPLe’s new garment turns him gold, and you can see how Leonardo da Vinci and other characters in Florence would mistake him for an Apple of Eden, the symbol of desire and temptation. And best of all, APPLe’s new garment is free for all players during the collaboration event.
A Celebration with Free Goodies
APPLe’s new garment isn’t the only thing that’s free. In this collab version, every player can get a free monthly pass that allows them to get 2,700 Clear Drops in total, which is 15 free gacha pulls. Additionally, free resources given out during the collaboration will make it possible to have at least 43 pulls on the event banners.
During Phase 2, everyone can recruit Alexios for free by taking part in the collaboration’s events. Plus, to celebrate the partnership with Assassin’s Creed, players can receive additional collaboration characters after 100/160/220/280 pulls. And there are other log-in and event rewards that you can see in the image below.
There’s Always More to Learn
You can download Reverse: 1999 for free right now on Steam, the iOS App Store, Google Play and Windows PC. The Assassin’s Creed collaboration is live now, and with all the goodies being given away for free, there’s never been a better time to jump in.
If you want more info about the existing characters of Reverse: 1999, you can check out the official website for details. You can also follow the game and join the community on Twitter, TikTok, Discord, Facebook, or YouTube.
EA has flat out said that fans shouldn’t expect The Sims 5 anytime soon. But if you’re looking for a new release from the franchise, you’ll be happy to know a new Sims game actually did just come out July. Did you somehow miss this momentous news? I certainly did, and that’s because it’s actually just a board game. The Sims Board Game arrived at Target on July 20, 2025 and it seems to have gone largely unnoticed.
Which makes a lot of since to me. It’s been a long time since I’ve played The Sims 4, but having spent a decent amount of time in that game I can’t really conceptualize how it would effectively transition to a tabletop experience. The board game itself is a collaboration with Goliath that was announced back in February and garnered a bit of news coverage from various gaming outlets, but now that it’s available to buy nobody seems to be talking about it.
The Sims Board Game Is Now Available
I have no plans on ever purchasing or playing this game, but for the sake of this article I watched the official how to play video recently published on the Goliath YouTube channel. It’s about five and a half minutes long and after sitting through the whole thing, I’m still not sure how to categorize this game or even how to actually play it. The gameplay and rules seem unnecessarily confusing despite the narrator suggesting just “tossing out the rulebook” early on in the video. The main theme of the game is that each player tries to earn points by completing aspirations and various actions throughout play. The first player to eight points wins, with the bonus option of playing to 10 points instead to make the game longer.
As confusing as the gameplay seems, what turns me off to this game the most about this game is that it’s meant for 2-5 players. That immediately removes the thing about playing The Sims I enjoyed the most: That I got to do it by myself. Introducing one or more players into the experience seems like a recipe for disaster. It’s being marketed as a family board game, but I could never imagine trying to play this with my actual family.
Although it initially launched at Target, The Sims Board Game is currently available to preorder from Amazon with an August 15 release date. If you feel like giving it a try, it is actually pretty reasonably priced at $19.99.
2XKO has been a staple of Evo for the last three years, but the finish line (or perhaps the true starting line, depending on how you look at it) is finally starting to come into view on the horizon. A closed beta has been announced for September 9, and after that, the servers will remain up all the way until launch, whenever that may be. The game has changed a lot since it’s first iteration, and even since its first appearance at Evo, and there are even more changes in store for the Closed Beta. To cover some of these changes, and to get a breakdown of the newest character, Vi, I talked with lead champion designer Alex Jaffe, after going hands-on with the latest build for myself.
You’re launching a closed beta on Sept. 9 and have announced that the servers will remain live until the game launches. First off, how does that feel? Can you sum up what you’re feeling at this significant milestone in 2XKO’s long life at this point?
Alex Jaffe, Lead Champion Designer on 2XKO: I appreciate you asking, because it’s very much an emotional thing for so many of us. We’ve been working on this game for a long time. I think people know. People have been waiting, right? We get it. We are the same way. We just want people to have the game. We just want them to play. And, years of my life, I have just been waiting for this moment, right? So when you make a game, you’re there to bring joy to people.
We’ve been working on this game for a long time. I think people know. People have been waiting, right? We get it. We are the same way.
And so, we knew that we were heading towards the closed beta, but the day we announced it, I got to tell you, my spirit’s lifted in a way they haven’t in a while, because it just feels so real now. And, having people here at EVO playing it, everybody signing up for the beta, soon they’re going to have it home and they’re not going to have it taken away from them again. They’re going to have it. And they’re just going to keep on playing forever, hopefully. And I just cannot wait to have more and more people playing the game, and hopefully having a great time with it, and learning from them, and improving the game for all y’all, hopefully.
I’ll tell you what, as someone who played the Alpha Lab, and then had it taken away from them, I did feel like it was a major slight against me.
Jaffe: Absolutely. We’re just practicing a little bit of cruelty just for no good reason. No, I’m just kidding. No, we know there’s work to do, right? If you played Alpha Lab, hopefully you had a fun time with the game. But, there was a lot that was incomplete. And we have been grinding, we have been in the lab working on the game, so many little details, trying to add more content, but also, I was looking at the changes that our core rules team and our live balance team put in, just in Alpha Lab 2, and it’s just massive. So many problems are being fixed. So many good solutions to make more situations in the game more interesting, more fair. I’m just so proud of everyone on the team.
Well, let’s talk about those changes since Alpha Lab 2. What were some of the major pieces of feedback? I know you can’t go through every little bit. But what are some of the major bits of feedback that you got from Alpha Lab 2 that you’re addressing in this closed beta?
Jaffe: Yeah, absolutely. And I’ll speak first about core roles, which is not my team, but it’s the team I work very closely with, of course, because I work on Champions. So one of the things we saw in Alpha Lab 1, we saw that the game was really long combos, a lot of pressure, just like it was hard to get your turn. It was hard to get agency and get to act. And again, you want to play the game. At the same time, a lot of it is about taking control and being able to style on your opponent. Finding that build or middle ground is what we’ve been working on. Alpha Lab 2, in some ways, we swung the other way, right? It was too hard to get your offense started, unless you knew very, very specific routes to get Oki, for example.
[Editors Note: Oki, or okizeme, is a term used to refer to the offensive options you can use while the opponent is getting up off the ground after a knockdown]
And, I know the combos were too short there, but there were ways in which people felt like there was maybe some overcorrection. And I think, we really hit a great sweet spot in this one. So some of the changes we made, we improved damage, so that rounds don’t go on so long. People were just like, “I want to get through the round. Finish the game, get into another one.” But, there was maybe too much healing, not enough damage, we have less gray health building. All these things to make sure that a round is fun, fast, and gets to the point. We also changed the way our knockdown system works, so that it’s possible to get really, really offensive mix-ups and set ups on your opponent. But they’re not freely available as a vortex where you combo into it over and over and mix up. We have our throws forward throws and air throws. They’re hard knockdowns. But, you don’t get a hard knockdown off of combos anymore. You do get these roll opportunities. You used to have rolls in there, but now, the rolls can be thrown to be punished. So roll doesn’t get you out of pressure.
So a lot of just somewhat subtle maybe to an unfamiliar player, but really, really central to someone who’s playing the game hard in terms of making sure that it’s fair and interesting. Oh, meter changes too, one more thing I want to mention. Pretty big. You start the round with one bar of meter, so you can just get going, and hit your super, and get right to the fun stuff. You don’t start with a full bar of your team meter anymore, which is your break. So you can’t break that first combo that your opponent’s doing to you, right? We want to make sure you get your combo in, you’re not just waiting for the second one. So it’s all a lot of tuning. It’s all subtle stuff. But I think it just results in more fun games that go quicker where there’s more back and forth between players.
Let’s talk about Vi. Vi Is the new character that you just introduced. And, I got to play with her. She’s super fun, very much my style of character.As someone who plays Giovanna in Guilty Gear Strive, I just love being able to quickly dash in and out. What is Vi’s kit, basically? What was the idea that you wanted to hit with this character?
Jaffe: Absolutely. Yeah. So Vi is a character that is really, really beloved, even before Arcane, right? League players love her. But Arcane really brought her into these upper echelons of iconic characters. And, obviously, we looked at her, her power is in her fists, right? And we knew that there was a good chance she would be somewhere in the boxer zone. Boxers are just a classic archetype in fighting games. But we wanted a new twist on it and we were just really looking at what we could do with her.
And for us, it was really about getting some of that technicality of boxers, where really precise movement, a lot of really interesting strings, but also, some of that just raw power fantasy of these Hextech gauntlets, right, just mashing your opponent with huge hits, hitting the ground, making blasts of energy, and tying those two things together, I think, weaving them together was the goal. And, it took a while to get there. We definitely went through many iterations on her before we found that perfect sweet spot. But we were super happy with… I think, what that lets you do is it lets you make a character that’s easy to get into, because you’re like, “Damn, she hits hard.” Right? Very much from the beginning, right? She’s smashing you to the ground, charging up that S1 punch, and hitting you for full stream.
The real core of Vi’s kit is her footwork.
But, the real core of her kit is her footwork, which is this dashing special you mentioned, where you can weave in and out and you can cancel it into different follow-ups. And these follow-ups have so much flexibility. You can charge one and then not charge the other, charge another, cancel charge one into any other S1 special, link that into another footwork, and you’ve got this really nice dance for combos and her pressure structure, I think, look just really beautiful and feel really expressive and great on the hands. Yeah, I’m super proud of her. It seems like people are having fun time with her out here.
One of the things I noticed about her is that she is so fast, blisteringly fast. It’s already a very fast game. Her mix-up or cross-up potential is super, super high. What would you say are some of her weaknesses though? It seemed like she might have some trouble getting in on somebody who’s trying to zone her out.
Jaffe: Yeah, absolutely. And we do have tools to deal with that, but the idea is, look in a game 2XKO, there’s a lot happening. There’s a lot of hit-boxes on the screen. Everybody has to have some way to… We talk about just get their **** started. You know what I mean? I’m sorry. But, yeah. So that means sometimes it means projectiles, right? You’re casting power across the screen. Sometimes it means, “Hey, I’ve got armor to go through.” Right? Like Darius’s reversal. And sometimes, it just means “I’m so fast that you can’t even prepare for my approach.” And that’s definitely Vi’s strong suit, it’s surprising movement, getting right in there, but she has to make it through whatever the battery of defenses. And, she does have some projectile invulnerability to do that. But yeah, it can be challenging. Even I was playing a set with someone today, and her footwork dash can go into a slide that crosses up. You saw that, right?
Yeah, yeah.
She just passes through. And I was playing with someone who was just mashing jab when I started to go into it. And, I’m screwed there, right? If your opponent knows what you’re doing predictably, there are really strong answers to Vi. You have to keep it flexible. You have to use some of her unorthodox air tools to change her movement up. You got to be using back and forth movement, not just all aggression. So definitely, she is a very strong character, but she’s fighting, in some ways, inherently an uphill battle against characters with bigger hit-boxes or with projectiles.
So the landscape of the tag-fighting genre has changed substantially in just the last year.
Jaffe: Oh, has it? What happened?
[Laughter]
I just wanted to get your thoughts on the genre and what it feels like. You used to be the new kid on the block, the only kid on the block.
Jaffe: Now we’re the old new kid on the block. I get it.
And now, all of a sudden, all these kids have moved in.
Jaffe: Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
What’s that feel like?
Jaffe: Honestly, it’s exciting in a real way, because everybody on this team loves tag fighters, and there were a jerk of options for a while. And, we’re making this game because we think that this is one of the most mind-meltingly enjoyable experiences you could have on planet Earth. And so, we’re genuinely psyched that there are more options out there and that there are going to be more people playing tag fighters on account of multiple games coming out. And it’s really cool just seeing them, everyone’s taking very different takes on it.
We’re genuinely psyched that there are more options out there and that there are going to be more people playing tag fighters on account of multiple games coming out.
The Tokon folks were super nice and welcomed us in to play this morning, me and another designer, Caroline. We only played and we had a great time. The game’s very different than ours. The pacing is different. The way team play works is very different. I think there’s both room to enjoy both of them, or just different audiences will like different ones. So I feel great about that. I haven’t got to play Invincible. Yeah, super excited to play that.
It’s super fun.
Jaffe: Yeah, and Hunter x Hunter is awesome. So it’s a wild time from there to be so few, to now, so many. But, I think, it’s inevitably going to bring a lot of people into this kind of peak experience. So we’re excited, and we want people to play our game, and enjoy it, and in general, to play tag games to enjoy them.
Coming back to the closed beta, do you have any sense of how long you want this closed beta to last? Or is it just a thing of when you feel like the game is ready, that’s when you’re going to flip the switch?
Jaffe: Yeah, it’s a great question. I don’t think I have a very satisfying answer there, for two reasons. One, because I personally don’t know exactly what the plans are at the top level in terms of how we do that, because I’m working on making the game. That’s my focus, right? And in particular, as running the champions team, it’s all about that character factory, making one amazing character after another to the extent we can. That’s our goal, right? So my eyes and my team’s eyes are firmly set on the next character, the one after that, and the one after that, just making them amazing. In terms of the process, what we’re going to learn from the closed beta, I’m sure that’s the goal, right? We want to see how the game does out there. We want to see how people enjoy it, what works and what doesn’t.
And, I’m sure I could say that the duration of it does depend on how confident we are with what we’ve got. So far, we’re loving what we have here, but it’ll be different once people have it at home. That said, I don’t actually even know exactly what the bounds of how short or how long that could be are. I’m sure somebody else does, but no matter what, we don’t want to wait too long, right, before expanding the game as much as we can, because we just want it out there, we want people playing it. And, how long it’ll be, I can’t say really. But, fingers crossed, not too long.
Final question. For anyone that played the first two Alpha Labs, maybe felt like they had a good feel of their character, are they going to jump into this new closed beta and be like, “Oh, this is way different”? What are some of the biggest changes to some of the other characters that are going into the closed beta?
Jaffe: Absolutely. Yeah. So we have a lot of changes on the rules side and some more strategic changes on the champion side, as well as some tuning. It’s actually cool because we’ve had our live balance team start coming online and start participating in the process of working on the Champions, because in some sense, we’re doing live balance on champions that have actually existed in the wild for a while, even though it’s only been in temporary tests. So they’re working on the champs and collaborating with the champion designers, like our live balance designer, Yohosiei, to just make them more pristine. And, some of the change is damage, whatever, recovery. But some of them are more significant. Darius?
Darius has a fireball now!
Jaffe: Darius got a projectile. It’s got a nice little ground projectile. It’s not the strongest thing in the world, but it has real strengths. He can use it to approach. He can combo off it sometimes, OTG (off the ground) with it. It just gives him more tools to play with to be a more full and expressive character so he can have more fun with him.
Illaoi, we’re very excited about a subtle change. Illaoi, she really relies on getting her tentacles out to start her game. Because once she’s got tentacles, she can pressure with them, she can combo with them, she can mix the opponent up with them. But, we wanted her to have that physicality, so she can’t just summon them. She has to hit you to generate tentacles. That said, it was really hard for her to start that game from far away, like we talked about. So we found a great compromise, which is her down S2 is now chargeable. Her down S2 is the move where she punches her totem into the ground and a tentacle comes up and it generates a tentacle for. Now, if you charge that, it will auto-track the opponent’s position. So they have to fear that low from anywhere on screen if they’re being patient and just sitting there. So it lets her express power from far, get the tentacle out and really get her game going.
You might have to relearn a couple of things [in the closed beta], especially at the advanced level, but you’re going to be able to get in there and play your character mostly as you used to.
Beyond that, just a lot of tuning changes. Yasuo has pretty different routes in a bunch of places. But most characters, Darius, or Braum, Jinx, their routes are pretty similar. Some changes around the way corner. But mostly, you might have to relearn a couple of things, especially at the advanced level, but you’re going to be able to get in there and play your character mostly as you used to. And, we’re making bigger swings right now. But as we get closer and closer to the whole complete version of the game, we’re going to slow down that rate of change, so that we’re not disrupting people’s muscle memory too much.
Mitchell Saltzman is an editorial producer at IGN. You can find him on twitter @JurassicRabbit
Become One with the Ninja: Unpacking Ninja Gaiden 4’s Deep, Immersive Allure
Yamaguchi Sebastian, Xbox Wire Japan
Summary
Walk through the experience of playing the first 3 chapters of Ninja Gaiden 4 with its Director and Producer Yuji Nakao.
Dive deeper into the game’s mechanics and playability, now refreshed with a brand-new arsenal, instant weapon switching, and a Ryu Hayabusa who has mastered the True Dragon Sword.
Ninja Gaiden 4 arrives on October 21 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere. Play it day one with Game Pass.
Racing through a Tokyo consumed by darkness, slipping behind enemies and striking in a flash. A standoff where you are against all odds, dancing on the edge of death in relentless swordplay. Before I realized, the character I was controlling felt less like a digital avatar, and more like an extension of my own body.
Ninja Gaiden 4 doesn’t just let you play as a ninja—it slowly, silently transforms your mind and body into one.
Since its explosive reveal at this year’s Developer Direct, Ninja Gaiden 4 has been featured on Xbox Wire, spotlighting several key elements: Yakumo, the new protagonist, the near-future Tokyo landscape, the visceral Bloodraven Form that redefines the series’ combat, and the long-awaited return of Ryu Hayabusa.
But now that I’ve played through the first three chapters, it’s clear that there’s more beneath the surface. Something deeper. Something that demanded to be uncovered.
What makes Ninja Gaiden 4 so striking is its ability to draw players into a state of flow, where reaction overtakes thought, and instinct replaces intention.
You’re not just pressing buttons. It’s as if your entire nervous system is tuned to every motion, every enemy, every second. You’re not calculating the perfect moment. You’re responding with something closer to that of pure animal instinct.
It feels as though the game is training you, refining your senses to match the pace and pressure of the world it throws you into.
To get to the heart of this immersive design, the Xbox Wire Japan editorial team sat down with Yuji Nakao, the producer and director of Ninja Gaiden 4 himself.
After spending time in the early chapters, we brought the questions that naturally rose from the experience, unfiltered and direct. The conversation ranged from the intricacies of the battle system, to the shaping of this new Ninja Gaiden world, to the dynamic between Yakumo and Ryu. And in their answers, we uncovered a philosophy: a quiet intensity and clarity of purpose driving the game’s ferocious polish.
In this article, we revisit the moments that pulled us so deeply into Ninja Gaiden 4’s world, and together with the developers’ insights, unravel the secrets behind its razor-sharp design.
First, can you tell us about the world design of the initial stage where players accompany Yakumo?
In this game, players will start from the ground and ascend upward through a reimagined “Sky City Tokyo.” In other words, Ninja Gaiden 4 inverts what we believe was the structure of Ninja Gaiden 2, and players will experience Yakumo climbing his way up from its depths. This inversion directly reflects one of the game’s central themes in Yakumo’s growth, and the level design is built to faithfully support that idea.
The setting of Tokyo at the beginning of the story is drastically different — it’s now infested with Daemon (supernatural beings) and is under the control of a hostile faction called the Divine Dragon Order. Time has passed, and the city has transformed under various influences, giving it a much more oppressive, eerie, and fear-inducing atmosphere.
Chapters 1 through 3 focus tightly on Yakumo’s perspective as he begins his climb toward becoming a master ninja, offering players an inverted viewpoint compared to Ryu’s. It’s an intense, condensed experience that we hope everyone will enjoy.
What kind of experience did you intend for players to have in these three chapters, and what expectations did you want to set?
Each of these early chapters has been carefully crafted to serve as the foundation for the story of Ninja Gaiden 4. In Chapter 1, our main goal was to let players enjoy the sheer thrill of battle, drawing on stage design that embodies the essence of the Ninja Gaiden series. Then, in Chapter 2, we introduced the newly added rail action mechanic, aiming to deliver a sense of speed and fluidity that still feels authentic to the franchise. And finally, Chapter 3 culminates in a boss fight that showcases just how far the series has come, offering an evolved encounter befitting a brand-new entry after more than a decade.
These chapters serve as an introductory arc in every sense. They pack in all the essential gameplay elements that players will need to carry into the rest of the game. As the story progresses, the mechanics you learn here will become increasingly intertwined, driving faster, more intense, and more terrifying battles that never let up.
Hopping onto rails in-between battles, and swerving through obstacles with the press of a button added a refreshing dynamic that hasn’t been seen in previous Ninja Gaiden games. How did you ensure this new feature still felt true to the Ninja Gaiden experience?
The rail action mechanic was designed to keep players engaged, even during brief pauses between battles. With Ninja Gaiden 4, we aimed to deliver the fastest-paced action experience in the series so far, not only in combat but across the entire stage structure. Simply put, we didn’t want the momentum to break. The rail action serves as a kind of “spice” for the game, offering exhilarating and tension-filled moments even during transitions and movement sequences.
For instance, you might finish a rail sequence, leap into the next area, and immediately strike down an enemy, a “NINJA KILL” if you may. Then you hop onto another rail, start moving again, and suddenly find yourself dodging falling skyscrapers. These unpredictable, fast-paced scenarios create a live-action feel—something constantly evolving and urgent.
At first glance, some players might worry that introducing gimmicks like this could water down the core identity of a Ninja Gaiden experience. Our goal wasn’t to dilute the experience, but to add to it without compromising its core. If anything, the rail action strengthens the game’s identity.
Were there any challenges in integrating such a new mechanic into the traditionally structured stages of Ninja Gaiden?
We spent a lot of time figuring out how much rail action to include and how to balance it within each stage. One of our biggest challenges, especially in collaboration with Team NINJA, was making sure the rail sequences felt natural and didn’t disrupt the density of gameplay that fans expect from the series.
That density is a hallmark of Ninja Gaiden, and when you try to add rail segments on top of already intense combat, there’s a risk that the stage becomes overly bloated.
To achieve the perfect balance, we played and replayed the stages countless times, adjusting and refining them based on feedback. Together with Team NINJA, we went through that loop over and over. We’re now at a point where the experience feels incredibly polished, and just the right tempo. If players find themselves flowing through the game as if they’re running a smooth marathon, then we’ve achieved what we set out to do. And if players feel the rail action is seamlessly woven into the game without disrupting the Ninja Gaiden experience, then I’ll be more than happy.
In the early part of the game, players face a boss with very direct, linear movement patterns, followed by another boss who moves unpredictably and erratically. Can you elaborate on the differences in these experiences and the design philosophy behind them?
Let’s start with the first boss, the D.D.O. Commander. He belongs to an organization called the Divine Dragon Order, which outwardly presents itself as a force of justice. Because of this, Yakumo, who acts in opposition to them, is labeled as the villain.
In terms of gameplay, the Divine Dragon Order, and the D.D.O. Commander in particular, are characterized by discipline and order. Their fighting style is highly structured, focused on “kata (forms)” and patterns, reflecting their rigid hierarchy. Their attacks are straightforward, easy to read, and symbolically meant to be “clean.”
The D.D.O. Commander is designed to let players learn the game’s controls in a natural and stress-free way. Throwing a wildly erratic enemy at the player right out of the gate would only frustrate them. So instead, the D.D.O. Commander is someone players can face head-on, offering a chance to practice the fundamentals. In that sense, he’s deliberately built as a boss who embodies the basics. He’s honest and by the book.
Next comes the Kitsune Courtesan, affectionately nicknamed the “Oiran Kitsune (Fox)” by our staff. She symbolizes the newly introduced Daemon, which are otherworldly beings central to this game’s narrative.
Unlike the demons or the fiends that appeared in previous Ninja Gaiden entries, the Daemon in this game are mysterious entities that seemingly emerge from our own world. No one knows where they came from or what they want. This unsettling ambiguity, which highlights the fear of the unknown, is reflected in their visuals, behavior, and especially in their attack styles.
You’ll see that her movements are highly unpredictable and distinctly inhuman. She attacks with what feels like magical power, defying logical combat patterns. The goal here was to instill a sense of fear rooted in the unexpected. This is very different from the disciplined combat of the Divine Dragon Order, and the contrast is intentional.
As the first major Daemon boss, the Kitsune Courtesan is meant to be a symbolic figure, an embodiment of the unknown. Her presence marks a shift in both the gameplay and the narrative, signaling that the threats in Ninja Gaiden 4 go far beyond what players may expect.
A new weapon called “Yatosen” was introduced during this hands-on. Could you explain its key features and how it differs from “Takeminakata”, the dual blade?
TheYatosen is designed around the concept of ultra-close-range combat. In its default form, when using the Base Form, it takes the shape of a twisted drill-like rapier, something similar to what you might call a twist sword or twist knife. When you switch to the Bloodraven form, it transforms into a spinning drill.
In contrast to the Takeminakata, which allows you to extend its blade using the Bloodraven form and strike from a distance, the Yatosen takes the opposite approach. It’s meant for players who want to get right up close to enemies, using thrusts, stabs, and piercing attacks. It’s a weapon built for tight, one-on-one encounters. In certain scenarios, it may even be more effective and easier to handle than the Takeminakata.
The Yatosen does require a bit more finesse than Takeminakata. It’s not the kind of weapon you can just swing wildly. You’ll get the most out of it by choosing the right moments and enemy types. It’s a tool that greatly rewards players who tailor their approach to each situation. In that sense, the Yatosen really represents a flexible and exciting option within the player’s arsenal.
In this title, we’ve learned that players can freely switch weapons in the middle of a combo. This system seems to explosively expand the range of combat dynamics. Could you tell us more about the reasoning behind implementing this feature?
Because this is a brand-new numbered title being delivered more than 10 years since the last one, we felt it was necessary to evolve every aspect of the game experience. The real-time weapon switching system is one such important piece of that evolution. Naturally, it improves responsiveness in action gameplay, and for advanced players, it also facilitates combo construction. With the aim of enhancing the quality of the action experience and expanding gameplay variety, we adopted this new method.
This free-switching system was part of our concept from the early stages of development. We were confident that it would make Ninja Gaiden, as a full-fledged 3D action game, even more enjoyable. And once you play it, you’ll find it’s a fun mechanic that makes you want to try out various weapons more casually. We are proud to present this as one of the highlights of the title, and we hope everyone will enjoy it.
In the demo version, players were able to use all weapon techniques and martial arts from the start. However, in the actual game, we assume that the degree to which these are acquired will vary significantly depending on the player’s skill and the game’s difficulty level. With that in mind, we’d like to ask: is it still possible to progress through the game even if players fail to learn most of the weapon techniques or martial arts?
If I were to give a bit of advice, I’d still recommend first acquiring the low-cost Combat and Weapon Skills, and then gradually work your way up to the more expensive and advanced ones. As you progress, you can try out different skills and see which ones suit your playstyle. This process allows you to develop your own approach to combat and enjoy a more personalized Ninja Gaiden 4 experience.
We’ve tried to prevent situations where players are completely stuck because they haven’t learned any Combat Skills. Of course, if someone intentionally avoids learning new techniques and continues playing that way, the game can essentially turn into a self-imposed hardcore challenge (laughs).
Anyhow, you’ll begin by spending Ninja Coins to learn the cheaper techniques, and under Tyran’s guidance, you’ll train and practice each move in combat scenarios. Through this process, you’ll slowly but surely develop the skill set needed to overcome the next big challenge. That sense of growth and mastery is what we believe defines the gameplay experience of Ninja Gaiden 4.
One of the things we’re most confident about in Ninja Gaiden 4 is just how rich and varied the action system is. We’ve prepared such a wide array of systems because, in the end, we want players to discover the styles and combat feel that resonate most with them. Even among techniques or weapons that serve similar purposes, there’s a full spectrum, from low-risk, low-return options to high-risk, high-reward ones, allowing players to choose what works best for them.
Moreover, in actual gameplay, the situation changes rapidly, and the number of enemies can become overwhelming. The true fun of this game lies in selecting the best technique for those evolving situations. That’s precisely why we didn’t want to throw everything at the player from the start. Instead, we designed the game so that players could grow attached to each action by learning them gradually.
In the preview build, we saw some martial arts techniques labeled with the term “Perfect,” which seemed to offer greater benefits when executed with more precise timing compared to standard techniques. Would you say that mastering these kinds of advanced skills is the key to mastering Ninja Gaiden 4 overall?
This game offers players an exceptionally wide variety of actions to choose from. The idea is for each player to discover which style suits them best from among this vast selection and then be free to refine and master it in their own way. That’s the kind of design philosophy that’s at the heart of Ninja Gaiden 4.
Take the “Perfect” Combat Skills, for example. These refer to moves that require precise timing, such as well-timed guards or counters. This kind of playstyle tests your ability to improvise during battle, as well as your ability to read and memorize enemy patterns. However, when multiple enemies appear on screen at once, their movements start to interfere with each other, which introduces unpredictability into their behavior. In those situations, improvisation becomes even more important.
On the other hand, some players may prefer an aggressive combo-heavy style, or a style that focuses on landing powerful, heavy blows using the Bloodraven form. For players who find appeal in those kinds of approaches, there are other valid routes toward mastering the game.
Ultimately, the fact that players can freely discover their own methods and strategies for tackling the game is one of the most enjoyable and compelling aspects of Ninja Gaiden 4.
In the preview build, Ryu Hayabusa was playable, and in addition to his previously known extraordinary powers, the players were able to also experience combat in his new “Gleam Form”. Could you tell us more about Ryu’s abilities in Ninja Gaiden 4?
In Ninja Gaiden 4, the “True Dragon Gleam”, which has existed from the first Ninja Gaiden and also an Ultimate Technique in Ninja Gaiden 2, is heavily featured. The Gleam Form in this game is inspired by the feeling of activating that Ultimate Technique, and you can enjoy watching Ryu and his afterimages cut down and massacre enemies from all directions, depending on the various commands, situations, and ranges. The Gleam Form was created while imagining, “What kind of technique could Ryu Hayabusa, the Super Ninja who has mastered the True Dragon Sword, use?”
As a result, the Gleam Form was created as a symbol of Ryu’s prowess.
To put it simply, the Gleam Form is when Ryu unleashes the power of the True Dragon Sword, making him incredibly strong. When you play him in this game, it will truly give you the impression where you might think, “Wow, Ryu’s movements are truly insane!” It’s a one-of-a-kind power that lets players experience Ryu Hayabusa at his peak, as the indomitable Super Ninja.
The Gleam Form can be switched freely with just one button, like Yakumo’s use of the Bloodraven Form. While in this state, you can unleash a variety of incredibly powerful techniques. As the form itself is based on the True Dragon Gleam, we’ve made sure to also include techniques that feel just like it. When playing, be sure to try and replicate it yourself.
In this preview build, since both Yakumo and Ryu Hayabusa could be played on the same stage, does this mean that in Ninja Gaiden 4, players will be able to play through each chapter using both characters?
For each chapter, the story determines who is in which world and what they are doing, so for the most part, the characters will be fixed as you progress. In some chapters, you’ll play as Yakumo, and in others, you’ll play as Ryu, with each character assigned to specific parts of the story.
However, in the Chapter Challenge mode, where you can replay chapters, both Yakumo and Ryu are available to play on any stage. You can try playing stages that were originally meant for Ryu with Yakumo, vice versa. This mode offers a lot of freedom for players who want to replay the game, and I’m really excited to see how it will expand the variety of playstyles. I hope players will find their own unique ways to enjoy the game.
Pre-order now to receive the Dark Dragon Descendant Yakumo Skin at launch
The definitive ninja hack & slash franchise returns with NINJA GAIDEN 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.
Return of the Legend: Experience a return to the intense, high-speed combat that established NINJA GAIDEN as a premier action game series. Prepare for a legacy reborn with captivating style for a new generation of players.
Epic Hack and Slash Combat, Evolved: NINJA GAIDEN 4 fuses Team NINJA’s tempered combat philosophy with the stylish, dynamic action gameplay of PlatinumGames. Engage in visually stunning combat that rewards precision and strategy. Use Bloodbind Ninjutsu to transform your weapons and unleash devastation upon your enemies, alongside legacy techniques like the Izuna Drop and Flying Swallow. The legendary Ryu Hayabusa also returns with a revamped yet familiar set of tools to master. With a customizable player experience, NINJA GAIDEN 4 will push action game veterans to their limits while allowing newcomers to enjoy a heart-pounding adventure full of twists and turns.
An Ancient Enemy Returns: An endless rain of miasma hangs over a near-future Tokyo in the wake of an ancient enemy’s resurrection. The fate of the city lies in the hands of young ninja prodigy, Yakumo. Fighting his way through cybernetic ninja soldiers and otherworldly creatures, Yakumo must reconcile a destiny he shares with the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself and free Tokyo from the ancient curse that brought the city to its knees.
Experience a return to the intense, high-octane action of NINJA GAIDEN with the Deluxe Edition.
Includes:
• Base Game
• Future Gameplay Content*
• Traditional Dark Blue and Legendary Black Falcon Ryu Skins
• Blade of the Archfiend Ryu Weapon Skin
• Divine Chimera and Raven Master Yakumo Skins
• Divine Chimera Yakumo Weapon Set
• 50,000 Bonus NinjaCoin
• Additional In-Game Items
Pre-order now to receive the Dark Dragon Descendant Yakumo Skin at launch
The definitive ninja hack & slash franchise returns with NINJA GAIDEN 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.
Return of the Legend: Experience a return to the intense, high-speed combat that established NINJA GAIDEN as a premier action game series. Prepare for a legacy reborn with captivating style for a new generation of players.
Epic Hack and Slash Combat, Evolved: NINJA GAIDEN 4 fuses Team NINJA’s tempered combat philosophy with the stylish, dynamic action gameplay of PlatinumGames. Engage in visually stunning combat that rewards precision and strategy. Use Bloodbind Ninjutsu to transform your weapons and unleash devastation upon your enemies, alongside legacy techniques like the Izuna Drop and Flying Swallow. The legendary Ryu Hayabusa also returns with a revamped yet familiar set of tools to master. With a customizable player experience, NINJA GAIDEN 4 will push action game veterans to their limits while allowing newcomers to enjoy a heart-pounding adventure full of twists and turns.
An Ancient Enemy Returns: An endless rain of miasma hangs over a near-future Tokyo in the wake of an ancient enemy’s resurrection. The fate of the city lies in the hands of young ninja prodigy, Yakumo. Fighting his way through cybernetic ninja soldiers and otherworldly creatures, Yakumo must reconcile a destiny he shares with the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself and free Tokyo from the ancient curse that brought the city to its knees.
