Team Ninja Celebrates 30 Years: Anniversary Plans Revealed

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 exciting plans lined up for their milestone 30th anniversary. As a subsidiary of Koei Tecmo, Team Ninja is renowned for its action-packed hack-and-slash games, particularly the Ninja Gaiden franchise. Another flagship title, the Dead or Alive fighting game series, has been a staple for the studio, though fans have been eagerly awaiting a new mainline entry since the last release in 2019.

While Team Ninja is celebrated for these franchises, the studio has also made significant strides in the action soulslike RPG genre throughout the 2020s. The Nioh series, set in the Edo period, has garnered acclaim for its challenging gameplay and rich historical setting. Their collaboration with Square Enix on Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin brought a fresh take on the Final Fantasy universe. Additionally, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, inspired by Chinese mythology, and the critically acclaimed PlayStation 5 exclusive Rise of the Ronin, have showcased Team Ninja's versatility and commitment to delivering top-tier gaming experiences. As we approach 2025, Team Ninja is teasing some of its ambitious plans for the year, celebrating their 30th anniversary.

In an interview with 4Gamer.net, as reported by Gematsu, Team Ninja's Fumihiko Yasuda hinted at the studio's plans for the anniversary. Yasuda expressed hopes to release titles that would be "fitting for the occasion," though he remained vague about the specifics. Given Team Ninja's history, many fans are anticipating announcements related to the Dead or Alive or Ninja Gaiden franchises. 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 developments are already on the horizon for Ninja Gaiden, with a new side-scrolling entry, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, set to release in 2025. Announced at The Game Awards 2024, this collaboration between Koei Tecmo and Dot Emu aims to merge the classic 8-bit era gameplay and difficulty with modern elements that echo the 3D entries in the series. The last mainline Ninja Gaiden game, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, released in 2014, left fans divided with its unique zombie theme.

On the other hand, the Dead or Alive series has been relatively quiet since the release of Dead or Alive 6 in 2019, with only spin-offs like Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Scarlet and Venus Vacation Prism: Dead or Alive Xtreme keeping the franchise alive. Fans are hopeful that Team Ninja will revive the mainline fighting game series as part of the studio's 30th-anniversary celebrations. Additionally, there's a strong desire among the community for more content related to the beloved Nioh series.

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