Xbox Game Pass Could Be the Trump Card That Gets the Ninja Gaiden Franchise Back on the Map

The Ninja Gaiden franchise was one of the most popular video game franchises in the 1990s and 2000s, however, the popularity of the series dipped after the release of Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge in 2012. Now, it seems like the franchise is making a comeback with Ninja Gaiden 4, but Team Ninja has made sure that there is enough hype for the game.

In 2021, a collection called Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection was released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The collection consisted of Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge. The collection was silently added to the Xbox Game Pass, encouraging players to try out the classic action video games.

Xbox Game Pass Will Play A Key Role In Setting Up Ninja Gaiden Franchise’s Comeback

The Ninja Gaiden franchise was slowed down in the late 2010s, however, the franchise is all set to make a strong comeback with Ninja Gaiden 4. The game will the first mainline title in Koei Tecmo’s series in over 13 years. Since it is a direct sequel to 2012’s Ninja Gaiden 3, there is a lot of hype for the game, however, that’s still not enough for the developers.

To create more anticipation among the fans, the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection was released on the Xbox Game Pass, allowing subscribers to try out Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge for free. This move has certainly popularised the Ninja Gaiden franchise among new generation of gamers.

Ninja Gaiden 4 Will Be Released On Xbox Game Pass On Day One

Ninja Gaiden 4 will be published by Xbox Game Studios as Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, approached Koei Tecmo and PlatinumGames when the studios were exploring all possibilities. Xbox has managed to acquire a big franchise under its belt and like all other associated titles, even Ninja Gaiden 4 will be released on Xbox Game Pass on day one.

Instead of a Ninja Gaiden game, Koei Tecmo’s Team Ninja gave fans Rise of the Rōnin, action-role playing game set in Yokohama, Edo and Kyoto. The success of the game has convinced fans that Team Ninja will not let gamers down with Ninja Gaiden 4. The Ninja Gaiden games are known for their high degree of difficulty, and judging by the difficulty level of Rise of the Rōnin, players should expect the game to be much more challenging.

Despite being published by Xbox Game Studios, the game will be released on PlayStation 5 as well along with Windows, and Xbox Series X/S. The game is expected to be released in fall 2025.