Xbox Developer Direct 2025 - Ninja Gaiden 4 announced



Xbox has some games to show off for 2025's lineup, giving PC and Xbox fans something to look forward to, and offering a look at upcoming titles from id Software, Compulsion Games, and more. There will also be a mystery game reveal that will get announced during the livestream. So let's tune in and see what's in store.

We kick off with Koei Tecmo. We get some gameplay footage for Ninja Gaiden 4. Platinum Games will be involved with development. You can switch between two combat styles, and two main characters. The plan is to create a fair but challenging game. It'll be out this fall, as a day 1 Game Pass title, as well as PC and PS5.

Koei also has a Team Ninja game to reveal. Ninja Gaiden 2: Black. This is a remake of the 2008 Xbox 360 title It aims to modernize the original, while offering new characters and mechanics. It launches today for Xbox Series X|S and PC.

South of Midnight is next. This is a fantasy game from the developers of We Happy Few. It merges gothic style with deep south culture and folklore. Combat is 3D action, with certain magical abilities that impact how you fight enemies. The cutscenes are inspired by stop motion animation. Launches April 8.

Sandfall Interactive's team discusses how they created their latest game. They want to take a classic genre of game that people love and innovate upon it. They chose to create an epic RPG. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is about dealing with loss and grief. They want to put a lot into world and story building. It has a reactive turn based combat system. They found that initially, their earlier versions of the game were too difficult for playtesters, so they've balanced the difficulty and found a better formula for the gameplay and character customization. Each character has a specific ability, and you can build their stats out how you want. The game will be out April 24 on Xbox, day 1 on Game Pass.


Onward to id and DOOM: The Dark Ages. This is a prequel to DOOM 2016. The design for DOOM Eternal was to feel like a fighter jet, but in this game, you'll instead feel like you're playing as an iron tank. They've gone back to make some older gameplay elements more important, while still innovating on the formula. Strafing to avoid is important as is blocking outright, and you'll be in brutal heavy combat and a melee system. They've gone out of their way to create some of the most insane weapons yet. The mission statement is to make a game that could only be done with the DOOM franchise. You can also pilot a huge mech and cybernectic dragon to control. Launches May 15.

That's a wrap.
 

Robert Newbie

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Dang it, that reminds me, I still have to play through Ninja Gaiden: Black on the OG Xbox.

I haven't been paying much attention, so Ninja Gaiden 4 being co-developed by Platinum Games definitely puts the game on my radar.
 

TheStonedModder

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Dang it, that reminds me, I still have to play through Ninja Gaiden: Black on the OG Xbox.

I haven't been paying much attention, so Ninja Gaiden 4 being co-developed by Platinum Games definitely puts the game on my radar.
It didn’t really age well imo

This was very much needed
 

Robert Newbie

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It didn’t really age well imo

This was very much needed
I always heard that NG:B was one of the best 3rd person action games of its time. NG/NG:B got special attention, since Team Ninja was still a big deal, and it was an OG Xbox exclusive.

Come to think of it, besides Ninja Gaiden, did the Xbox get any of the Devil May Cry-alikes?

well, never expected this to happen already. Current team ninja is pretty lame tho
I've only been a casual observer, but I think Team Ninja's reputation started declining around Ninja Gaiden 2. I don't recall Ninja Gaiden 3 getting much fanfare, and no one talks about that spin-off, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z. Metroid: Other M got mixed reviews, which hurt their image. Doing the Warriors games for Zelda and Fire Emblem probably worked out well, but I don't know how people feel about the DOA series from the 7th gen onward.

I'd need a superfan to fill me in.
 

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I always heard that NG:B was one of the best 3rd person action games of its time. NG/NG:B got special attention, since Team Ninja was still a big deal, and it was an OG Xbox exclusive.

Come to think of it, besides Ninja Gaiden, did the Xbox get any of the Devil May Cry-alikes?


I've only been a casual observer, but I think Team Ninja's reputation started declining around Ninja Gaiden 2. I don't recall Ninja Gaiden 3 getting much fanfare, and no one talks about that spin-off, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z. Metroid: Other M got mixed reviews, which hurt their image. Doing the Warriors games for Zelda and Fire Emblem probably worked out well, but I don't know how people feel about the DOA series from the 7th gen onward.

I'd need a superfan to fill me in.
Basically Itakagi left and things went to shit
 

eyeliner

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I always heard that NG:B was one of the best 3rd person action games of its time. NG/NG:B got special attention, since Team Ninja was still a big deal, and it was an OG Xbox exclusive.

Come to think of it, besides Ninja Gaiden, did the Xbox get any of the Devil May Cry-alikes?


I've only been a casual observer, but I think Team Ninja's reputation started declining around Ninja Gaiden 2. I don't recall Ninja Gaiden 3 getting much fanfare, and no one talks about that spin-off, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z. Metroid: Other M got mixed reviews, which hurt their image. Doing the Warriors games for Zelda and Fire Emblem probably worked out well, but I don't know how people feel about the DOA series from the 7th gen onward.

I'd need a superfan to fill me in.
Other M has had backlash, but it wasn't by the right reasons.

Apparently gamers hate a developed story and giving Samus a personality.
 

RedoLane

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3 Ninja Gaiden games in a single year!?
AND THE BEST OF THEM WAS IZUNA DROPPED TODAY!?

2025 already looking smooth right now.
 
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Xzi

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Apparently gamers hate a developed story and giving Samus a personality.
It's not just that they gave her a personality, it's that they gave a badass intergalactic bounty hunter the personality of a lost puppy. Felt almost misogynistic on Nintendo's part, but perhaps they simply have no clue how to write a strong female character.
 
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eyeliner

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It's not just that they gave her a personality, it's that they gave a badass intergalactic bounty hunter the personality of a lost puppy. Felt almost misogynistic on Nintendo's part, but perhaps they simply have no clue how to write a strong female character.
It's only natural she was a fragile-ish character, as she was in unknown territory in working as a team, and she has gone through quite a bit. She was also raised by bird people!

But hey, she became dead silent again since then and we can only hear her death scream.

"Hardcore gamerz!" win again.
 
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Xzi

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But hey, she became dead silent again since then and we can only hear her death scream.
Which is the closest thing to acknowledgement we're gonna get that Other M was a total fumble. Good thing it also did terrible sales numbers so most people never knew it existed in the first place.

"Hardcore gamerz!" win again.
That crowd would prefer to have no female main characters in gaming at all. They aren't the same people complaining that Samus was written as overly emotional and subservient, that's exactly how they expect women to behave in games.
 

Robert Newbie

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Idk, Drake of the 99 Dragons? :unsure:
That reminds me, I have to add the Steam release to my Wishlist.

I never really gave it any thought, but most of the DMC-alikes were on the PS2. God of War, Blood Will Tell, the 3D Castlevania games, and I think Rygar even counts.

Really, between Grand Theft Auto III and Devil May Cry, 2001 was the year for influential games.
 
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CoolMe

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That reminds me, I have to add the Steam release to my Wishlist.
Please don't.
Really, between Grand Theft Auto III and Devil May Cry, 2001 was the year for influential games.
I mean just look at this 👇, and there were many other great games that year on the PS2 like Jak & Daxter, Ico, THPS3, Red Faction, Klonoa 2 to name a few..
RDT_20250124_0517454792379917786466053.png

And apparently for the other systems too.
 
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Robert Newbie

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Please don't.

I mean just look at this 👇, and there were many other great games that year on the PS2 like Jak & Daxter, Ico, THPS3, Red Faction, Klonoa 2 to name a few..
View attachment 482171
And apparently for the other systems too.
That brings me back. At the start of the PS2 era, we had, what, SSX? Then, Onimusha, The Bouncer, and Zone of the Enders came out. People were saying, "the PS2 has no games." Then, the gen really got started, and the rest is history.

Good times.
 
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Kazmar

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Other M has had backlash, but it wasn't by the right reasons.

Apparently gamers hate a developed story and giving Samus a personality.
Personally I didn't like the pixel hunting sections where I stare at the same screen moving my Wiimote really slowly to find whatever the game is asking of me.
Also it was like, super linear, and kinda boring. I've played great linear games, but Other M isn't one of them.
 

eyeliner

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Personally I didn't like the pixel hunting sections where I stare at the same screen moving my Wiimote really slowly to find whatever the game is asking of me.
Also it was like, super linear, and kinda boring. I've played great linear games, but Other M isn't one of them.
Fair enough.
 
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