Team Ninja has officially revealed Nioh 3 today at Sony's State of Play June 2025 presentation.
The debut trailer revealed an early 2026 release window for the action RPG sequel, which is set for release across PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam.
This time, there are open fields for players to explore and both Ninja and Samurai styles to get to grips with. A demo is live now on PS5 until June 18. Players who complete the demo will unlock an exclusive in-game helmet at launch.
Here's the official blurb, from PlayStation Blog:
In Nioh 3, the protagonist is a young warrior poised to become the next Shogun. Why is he dedicated to battling against yokai? We’ll save those details for another day, but what we can tell you today is as the battles unfold, players will now be able to fight using two distinct combat styles: Samurai and Ninja.
The Samurai style provides a gameplay experience similar to previous Nioh titles. New actions such as Arts Proficiency, which enhances the power of martial arts, and Deflect, which allows players to block enemy attacks at the last moment have been added, helping create a series of intense and deadly face-to-face confrontations.
Meanwhile, the Ninja style excels in quick movements like dodging and aerial actions, giving ninjas the advantage of being able to attack from outside of the enemy’s range by utilizing a variety of “Ninjitsu” techniques according to the situation on the battlefield. Players have the ability to use techniques like Mist, which leaves a clone after an attack, and Evade, which allows for narrowly avoiding enemy strikes. Both techniques help players outmaneuver foes while delivering devastating speed attacks from behind.
Players will be able to switch between battle styles instantly at any time, playing in their preferred style in a storyline defined by the strong, the swift, and the wicked. Based on the tendencies of the enemies and stages, some players will prefer to switch seamlessly between Samurai and Ninja techniques, while others will choose to fight using only one style continuously based on the challenge ahead. Feel free to play with the style you like best as you battle some of the fiercest enemies we’ve created to date!
Aside from the new battle styles, Nioh 3 also enables players to enjoy an open field that offers a new freedom of exploration to the unique tension and confrontations that have become a defining characteristic of the Nioh series. Experience unexpected encounters with formidable yokai, explore suspicious villages riddled in violent secrets, and take on the daunting challenges of The Crucible. Enjoy the thrilling, hostile new environments as you fight to survive the cursed kingdom!
We're pretty big Nioh fans here at IGN. We gave the original Nioh a 9.6/10, calling it "an epic, unforgettable adventure carried by a fierce combat system that cleverly balances style and strategy." We similarly praised Nioh 2 with a 9/10, saying that its "many systems may be a little overwhelming, but the stellar combat and satisfying difficulty make it worth it." The Nioh series has been very, very quiet ever since the 2020 release of Nioh 2, though Team Ninja itself has kept busy with releases such as Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Rise of the Rōnin, and the upcoming Ninja Gaiden 4.
In case you missed it, here's everything announced at Sony's State of Play June 2025 showcase.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
