July 31 is Going to Be a Big Day for Ninja Gaiden Fans

Summary

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is set to launch on July 31, 2025, offering a blend of old-school visuals with modern challenges.
The release date and more gameplay were shown during Sony’s recent State of Play showcase in June.

The Game Kitchen and publishers Dotemu and Joystick reserved a special spot for Ninja Gaiden fans during Sony’s recent State of Play showcase, and a new trailer revealed a special date to note. The core Ninja Gaiden series carries a retro-futuristic setting and follows ninja, Ryu Hayabusa, who has to battle through new enemies during his colorful escapade. The fourth, upcoming installment will introduce a new protagonist named Yakumo, with a story taking place some time after Ninja Gaiden 3’s narrative.

Koei Tecmo recently announced a very successful financial year, and the developer created the first entry in the action-platform series back in 1988 for arcades. Known back then as Shadow Warriors in Europe and Ninja Ryukenden in Japan, the Ninja Gaiden series went on to spawn over 20 titles under the IP. Ninja Gaiden 4 has also been announced to launch in late 2025, developed by Nioh studio Team Ninja.

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Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Balances Old-School Challenge With New-School Accessibility

Players can go into Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound expecting a series-appropriate challenge, but it’s not without some welcome modern touches.

Revealed during Sony’s State of Play presentation for June, a brand-new trailer was shown for the upcoming action-platformer Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, accompanied by the now-confirmed release date of July 31. The Game Kitchen is famously known for contributing to the soulslike genre, and the studio previously revealed how Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound compares to Blasphemous. Ragebound’s goal is to unite the lore and gameplay of Koei Tecmo’s Ninja Gaiden era with the “depth and intensity” of modern 3D components, and the story returns Ryu to the spotlight as he travels to America to uphold his father’s will.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Confirmed to Launch on July 31, 2025

The Game Kitchen is taking the Ninja Gaiden series back to its 2D roots by revisiting the very first episode of the original trilogy, and fans agree that it adds an extra dose of nostalgia to Ragebound. Several social media users agreed the series was back to full form after witnessing the spectacle that was the release date trailer. The fandom also labeled 2025 as the year of the Ninja, and a lot of praise was given to the game’s visuals, noting that The Game Kitchen’s graphics are never disappointing.

Game Rant’s hands-on preview of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound confirmed the platformer’s degree of replayability, thanks to its Golden Scarab collectibles and end-of-stage rankings, and declared the game a “stand-out experience” for fans of the series. Furthermore, Ragebound’s visuals and art direction are project staples, combining detailed pixel images with seamless animation that enhances the high-octane action.