What would you like to say to your players after releasing Ninja Gaiden 4 this year?
Our deepest thanks to everyone who has played the game, from the Master Ninjas who have been supporting the series for a long time, to those who are playing the series for the first time! Our days were spent developing the game so that players can enjoy the series’ signature intensity and a variety of actions to overcome difficult situations, so I’m happy if you experienced even a bit of the game! I think the flavor of the action really comes through the more you play it, so please continue to enjoy the different characteristics of the two Master Ninjas, Yakumo and Ryu! – Hirayama
To everyone who has supported Ninja Gaiden over the years, and to those how have started playing the series from this entry, thank you for playing the game. I enjoy watching your gameplay videos and comments on social media every day. In this game, we aimed for the revival of pure action that transcends time, and the three companies put everything into developing it. The action is really exciting and it’s a stoically made game, so those of you who have played the game please continue to thoroughly study it… and those who haven’t played it yet, I’ll be thrilled if you give this feel good slash action a try! – Nakao
How does it feel to have the game out there after development?
First of all, to be able to deliver a new numbered title in the series after 13 years is something that our entire team is truly happy about. We continuously debated and adjusted the game towards its launch, and once it was released it felt like it passed in an instant so I didn’t feel anything immediately, but as I saw social posts and videos being posted every day, little by little I began to feel joy. – Hirayama
For our development team, there are many members who, during the golden age of slash action games, were players or were involved as developers. So, while we had confidence in the game itself, I felt more nervous and excited than I have ever been before. And my current feeling is of relief, since the action has been well received. – Nakao
Are there any stories about how players have engaged with your game that you’d like to reflect on?
For a long time, we were in the dark while developing this game but seeing everyone playing and reacting to it at gaming events was a big driving force in development, and we made use of it in the final adjustments towards launch. Thank you again for your support! Post-launch, we are checking every single piece of feedback, so please look forward to future in-game updates! – Hirayama
Although I’ve mentioned it several times, we’ve been receiving a lot of feedback that, “the action definitely feels good!”, and it’s the part we’ve put our most effort into, so I am extremely happy that everyone is pleased with it. In this game we’ve taken the big challenge of mixing the best parts of Ninja Gaiden with the best parts of PlatinumGames’ action, so nothing makes me happier than hearing everyone enjoying the action. – Nakao
What is your studio most looking forward to in 2026?
We are really looking forward to everyone playing “The Two Masters,” the additional content currently in development! In addition to new weapons for Yakumo and Ryu, we are planning on an additional story and other replayable content. We’re working hard to deliver it as soon as we can, so please wait a little bit longer! – Hirayama
There are many games coming out next year, and as always, several action games will be released, so as an action game maker we are looking forward to seeing these games. For us, in 2026 we are planning to release additional content for Ninja Gaiden 4, “The Two Masters,” which we are currently hard at work developing. Not only is there content such as a new story, but above all the new weapons for each character will provide a new play experience unlike any of the previous weapons, so we hope you look forward to it! – Nakao
The definitive ninja hack & slash franchise returns with NINJA GAIDEN 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.
Return of the Legend
Experience a return to the intense, high-speed combat that established NINJA GAIDEN as a premier action game series. Prepare for a legacy reborn with captivating style for a new generation of players.
Epic Hack and Slash Combat, Evolved
NINJA GAIDEN 4 fuses Team NINJA’s tempered combat philosophy with the stylish, dynamic action gameplay of PlatinumGames. Engage in visually stunning combat that rewards precision and strategy. Use Bloodbind Ninjutsu to transform your weapons and unleash devastation upon your enemies, alongside legacy techniques like the Izuna Drop and Flying Swallow. The legendary Ryu Hayabusa also returns with a revamped yet familiar set of tools to master. With a customizable player experience, NINJA GAIDEN 4 will push action game veterans to their limits while allowing newcomers to enjoy a heart-pounding adventure full of twists and turns.
An Ancient Enemy Returns
An endless rain of miasma hangs over a near-future Tokyo in the wake of an ancient enemy’s resurrection. The fate of the city lies in the hands of young ninja prodigy, Yakumo. Fighting his way through cybernetic ninja soldiers and otherworldly creatures, Yakumo must reconcile a destiny he shares with the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself and free Tokyo from the ancient curse that brought the city to its knees.
We’re excited to share that a half-dozen Xbox first-party titles (plus one movie) have been nominated for awards across multiple categories – voting is now open on The Game Awards official site.
You can play many of the nominees announced today with Xbox Game Pass, including top nominee Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, DOOM: The Dark Ages,South of Midnight, and Hollow Knight: Silksong.
Tune into The Game Awards on December 11 to see if your favorite games from 2025 take home an award.
The Game Awards has officially revealed the full list of nominees for the year, and we’re thrilled to see such a wide range of unique titles being recognized for their contributions to gaming. Even better, many of these nominees can be played today across Xbox consoles, Xbox on PC, ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Cloud, and with Xbox Game Pass!
This year our first-party studios received nominations for Avowed, DOOM: The Dark Ages, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Ninja Gaiden 4, South of Midnight, and The Outer Worlds 2. Troy Baker’s pitch-perfect performance as Indiana Jones was recognized with a Best Performance nomination, and ‘A Minecraft Movie’, one of the biggest hits at the box office in 2025, was nominated for Best Adaptation.
We’re also equally excited to see that many of our third-party partners have been nominated across a wide range of categories – many of which can be played with Game Pass. Ball x Pit, Blue Prince, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Rematch are all up for awards this year, and playable across devices as Xbox Play Anywhere titles. Additionally, Game Pass subscribers receive incredible benefits for nominees League of Legends, Valorant, and – starting tomorrow – Fortnite.
Congratulations to all this year’s amazing nominees – and don’t forget, these nominations join titles on Xbox nominated across the Golden Joysticks, and even the Grammys!
Remember, you can vote for your favorites right now over at TheGameAwards.com. See below for the full list of nominees that you can play today.
For difficulty and accessibility, the team carefully balanced challenge and attainability. The three primary modes: Hero, Normal, and Hard, are complemented by assist functions such as automatic evasion and defense mechanisms. Whether you seek the endless thrill of mastery or wish to immerse yourself in the story, Ninja Gaiden 4 welcomes all who wish to step onto the path of the ninja. A dedicated training mode also ensures that every player can sharpen their own skills at their own pace.
In art, music, and level design, Team Ninja and PlatinumGames set out to forge the definitive modern vision of Ninja Gaiden. The teams, guided by the three keywords of adversity, brutality, and transformation, built a distinctive visual world of rain and shadow. The sound design merges the resonance of traditional Japanese instruments with electronic distortion, creating a striking contrast between silence and battle. Woven together with meticulous level design, these elements make every stage feel as though the very world itself is baring its fangs at Yakumo.
What do you want out of a modern, big-budget, blockbuster video game? Large, detailed environments to explore? Tons of skill trees, crafting systems, and resources to manage? An HBO-worthy story with top-notch voice acting that keeps you playing until the end? Ninja Gaiden 4 does not give a fuck about any of these things.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is here to serve you up tense, twitchy combo-based action and flashy but simple backdrops for ever more ridiculous boss fights and bloodbaths. Nothing more. Nothing less. It gets that job done with S-tier style and attention to detail. Everything else is…fine. I hope that doesn’t sound like a disappointment.
It’s not. I’m 10 hours into Team Ninja and Platinum Games’ cyberpunk-infused joint entry in the long-running series and I’ve been loving every no-frills moment. The sequel is out October 20 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (published by Microsoft and available day-one on Game Pass Ultimate) and my full review won’t be out until later this week. I’ll leave more of my nitpicks until then. For now I can confidentially say this game has some real juice.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is the Brazilian steakhouse where the hosts keep plopping down increasingly rich and tasty hunks of meat until you feel completely gorged and then they give you more and you keep going because it’s just that good and also the world will fall to ruin at the hands of a mythic evil dragon if you don’t.
There’s not a lot of variety. You may occasionally break into a sweaty panic. But plate after plate of bloody brawls and bone-crunching boss fights will arrive and you will not send them back because this is Team Ninja’s house and you will feast until it’s over because who knows, it could be another 13 years until the next Ninja Gaiden arrives.
Team Ninja / Microsoft
If you haven’t been keeping up, Ninja Gaiden 4 puts you in the shoes of Ryu Hayabusa’s rival Yakumo who wields the Bloodraven Form technique to chain the blood of his enemies into dazzling and devastating combo attacks (you also play as Ryu in some chapters). Yakumo gets access to multiple weapons with different attack patterns and unlockable move sets. There’s even an ultimate meter you can fill up to unleash quick executions.
Combined with dodges, parries, and an overwhelming number of fighting-game-style aerial maneuvers and attacks, the combat rewards close attention and thoughtful execution. It’s a button-mashing gorefest, except that every button is pressed for a particular reason and if it’s not, you’re probably looking at the game over screen again.
Every challenge room and boss fight so far has left me feeling satisfied and accomplished in exchange for the effort expended, even when progress slowed to a crawl and it briefly felt like I was banging my head against the wall. Ninja Gaiden 4 is so limited and focused in terms of what it puts in front of you that I found these periods of stalled momentum as cathartic and calming as pushing through to the next chapter.
I won’t talk about the story because I’m not finished yet and, well, when has a Ninja Gaiden story ever really mattered that much? There’s a mysterious woman manipulating you into breaking magical seals to purify the ancient dragon and prevent it from returning to haunt neo-Tokyo. The English language dubs are not great so I’m playing with subtitles. The conversations and characters, like the spartan levels you encounter them in, provide the most barebones table setting for a linear series of battles and the occasional 3D Sonic-style platforming section.
None of the stuff outside of combat has been all that great in Ninja Gaiden 4 so far, so I welcome there being so little of it. This is a game about seeing how long you can keep your health meter unscathed while landing just enough blows to randomly sever an enemy’s limb and open them up to a grisly execution move that sprays blood all over the screen and nets you points toward your high score for the stage. It’s strikingly old-school that way. It’s nice to have you back, Ninja Gaiden.
Xbox, Koei Tecmo, and Team Ninja joined forces for a record-breaking stunt in honor of Ninja Gaiden 4.
We flew two helicopters across Miami, one carrying a 26-foot screen, and another transporting a player, dominating Ninja Gaiden 4 while airborne.
The event set a new Guinness World Records title for the largest video game display flown by helicopter.
Learn more below – Ninja Gaiden 4 arrives tomorrow, October 21.
To celebrate the launch of Ninja Gaiden 4, we took the fight sky-high — literally. Imagine this: two helicopters slicing through the Miami night sky, one carrying a 26-foot wide screen (200+ sq ft in size), the other with Team Ninja Community Manager, Emmanuel “Master” Rodriguez, and diamond-certified recording artist Swae Lee.
The result? A jaw-dropping, first-of-its-kind spectacle that fused gaming, technology, and pure adrenaline. The event also set a new Guinness World Records title for the largest video game display flown by helicopter.
As the city lights shimmered below, Yakumo of the Raven ninja clan leapt into the night, battling enemies across an enormous screen suspended in the sky. Every slash, every grapple, every heart-pounding moment of combat came alive against the backdrop of snippets of an exclusive new record from Swae Lee entitled ‘Flammable’.
The inspiration behind this stunt comes straight from Ninja Gaiden 4’s in-game lore. The denizens of Tokyo have escaped the toxic floodwaters by building skyward. The skyscraper district towers above the ruined city below, a breathtaking vertical landscape that mirrors the high-flying action we brought to life.
Technology played a starring role in making this dream a reality. Using advanced sports broadcasting tech, we streamed live gameplay from Emmanuel’s helicopter to the massive screen – built by pioneering aerial media company, Heli-D – in the other.
Timing, precision, and nerves of steel were everything — a misstep would have grounded the Raven. But as Yakumo fought and triumphed across the illuminated sky, it was clear that the risk was worth it.
This is more than a launch; it’s a celebration of everything Ninja Gaiden 4 stands for — precision, skill, and pushing limits. From the game’s lore-rich skyscrapers to the Miami skyline we soared across, we’ve redefined what it means to experience a video game live.
In the dead of night, the ninja truly awakened — and for those lucky enough to witness it, the sky has never looked more alive.
Ninja Gaiden 4 arrives tomorrow, October 21 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – also available on Steam and PlayStation 5. Play it day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
The Deluxe Edition includes future gameplay content “The Two Masters”, along with additional character skins, weapon skins, and in-game items. Pre-order either the Standard Edition or the Deluxe Edition to get the Dark Dragon Descendent Yakumo skin at launch.
More on Swae Lee
Swae Lee first saw mainstream recognition as the younger and melodic half of southern hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd. Swae has made a name for himself outside of his duo work, showcasing himself as a force to be reckoned with both within and beyond the hip-hop world. Tracks such as French Montana’s diamond-certified ‘Unforgettable’ highlight his singing chops, while his impressive list of writing credits includes Beyoncé’s ‘’
Swae’s melodic repertoire, however, is not relegated exclusively to the R&B and hip-hop sphere as his crooning can also take on ballad form and mesh into a more electronic background as well—a complex Gemini in many ways. His impact on the music industry is also underscored by his record-breaking achievements, including the historic success of the Grammy-nominated track, ‘Sunflower’, which became the first-ever song to be certified 2x Diamond by the RIAA and holds one of the biggest streaming records in history. In addition to ‘Sunflower’, Swae’s contributions to hits like Travis Scott’s ‘Sicko Mode’ have also earned diamond certifications, further cementing his place as a dominant force in modern music.
NINJA GAIDEN 4 Preorder Standard Edition
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆ 40
★★★★★
$69.99
Pre-order now to receive the Dark Dragon Descendant Yakumo Skin at launch
The definitive ninja hack & slash franchise returns with NINJA GAIDEN 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.
Return of the Legend
Experience a return to the intense, high-speed combat that established NINJA GAIDEN as a premier action game series. Prepare for a legacy reborn with captivating style for a new generation of players.
Epic Hack and Slash Combat, Evolved
NINJA GAIDEN 4 fuses Team NINJA’s tempered combat philosophy with the stylish, dynamic action gameplay of PlatinumGames. Engage in visually stunning combat that rewards precision and strategy. Use Bloodbind Ninjutsu to transform your weapons and unleash devastation upon your enemies, alongside legacy techniques like the Izuna Drop and Flying Swallow. The legendary Ryu Hayabusa also returns with a revamped yet familiar set of tools to master. With a customizable player experience, NINJA GAIDEN 4 will push action game veterans to their limits while allowing newcomers to enjoy a heart-pounding adventure full of twists and turns.
An Ancient Enemy Returns
An endless rain of miasma hangs over a near-future Tokyo in the wake of an ancient enemy’s resurrection. The fate of the city lies in the hands of young ninja prodigy, Yakumo. Fighting his way through cybernetic ninja soldiers and otherworldly creatures, Yakumo must reconcile a destiny he shares with the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself and free Tokyo from the ancient curse that brought the city to its knees.
NINJA GAIDEN 4 Preorder Deluxe Edition
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆ 1
★★★★★
$89.99
Pre-order now to receive the Dark Dragon Descendant Yakumo Skin at launch
Experience a return to the intense, high-octane action of NINJA GAIDEN with the Deluxe Edition! The Deluxe Edition includes:
• NINJA GAIDEN 4 base game
• Future Gameplay Content “The Two Masters”*
• Traditional Dark Blue and Legendary Black Falcon Ryu Skins
• Blade of the Archfiend Ryu Weapon Skin
• Divine Chimera and Raven Master Yakumo Skins
• Divine Chimera Yakumo Weapon Set
• 50,000 Bonus NinjaCoin
• Additional In-Game Items such as Life Elixirs, Incense of Rebirth, Kongou Iron Brew, and more!
The definitive ninja hack & slash franchise returns with NINJA GAIDEN 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.
RETURN OF THE LEGEND
Experience a return to the intense, high-speed combat that established NINJA GAIDEN as a premier action game series. Prepare for a legacy reborn with captivating style for a new generation of players.
EPIC HACK AND SLASH COMBAT, EVOLVED
NINJA GAIDEN 4 fuses Team NINJA’s tempered combat philosophy with the stylish, dynamic action gameplay of PlatinumGames. Engage in visually stunning combat that rewards precision and strategy. Use Bloodbind Ninjutsu to transform your weapons and unleash devastation upon your enemies, alongside legacy techniques like the Izuna Drop and Flying Swallow. The legendary Ryu Hayabusa also returns with a revamped yet familiar set of tools to master. With a customizable player experience, NINJA GAIDEN 4 will push action game veterans to their limits while allowing newcomers to enjoy a heart-pounding adventure full of twists and turns.
AN ANCIENT ENEMY RETURNS
An endless rain of miasma hangs over a near-future Tokyo in the wake of an ancient enemy’s resurrection. The fate of the city lies in the hands of young ninja prodigy, Yakumo. Fighting his way through cybernetic ninja soldiers and otherworldly creatures, Yakumo must reconcile a destiny he shares with the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself and free Tokyo from the ancient curse that brought the city to its knees.
*For release date when announced, see https://www.xbox.com/games/ninja-gaiden-4.
Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, and Game Pass! Get more details on these upcoming games below and click their profiles for further info (release dates subject to change). Let’s jump in!
The definitive ninja hack & slash franchise returns with Ninja Gaiden 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat. Pre-order now to receive the Dark Dragon Descendant Yakumo Skin at launch.
The Double Dragon series has defined the belt-scroll action genre ever since it hit the arcades in 1987. Now it returns as Double Dragon Revive, thanks to the passionate support of retro game fans over the years! See your favorites from the golden age of arcades recreated in modern 3D graphics. Powerful foes from their past return to face off against the Lee brothers.
The next entry in the award-winning series, Jurassic World Evolution 3 puts you in control of building and running your very own Jurassic World. Help life find a way by synthesizing, breeding and nurturing prehistoric species. Manage each species and allow them to thrive, while helping your dinosaurs raise families and pass their genes onto future generations. Create incredible havens for your dinosaurs to help them flourish, build exciting new attractions to amaze guests, and maintain control when disaster inevitably strikes. Pre-order now to unlock the Badlands Set at launch.
Painkiller is a modern reimagining of the classic franchise, featuring online co-op for up to three players and offline play. Trapped in Purgatory, you are sentenced for your transgressions against Heaven. But the Voice of the Creator gives you a chance to redeem yourself. As one of the Champions, you are to stop the fallen angel Azazel, who is about to unleash his demonic armies onto Earth. Jump, dash and hook across vast biomes while fighting hordes of demons with a host of new and classic Painkiller weapons. Pre-order now and lock and load with the Iron Crusade Skins Pack.
Hunt your way through a modern-night Seattle on the brink of an open supernatural war in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, where visceral vampire action meets a neo-noir murder mystery. Navigate the vampire Court of Seattle and its dark underbelly in this action RPG, realized by the BAFTA award-winning studio The Chinese Room. Pre-order Bloodlines 2 and get an exclusive in-game jukebox with iconic tracks by original Bloodlines composer Rik Schaffer.
Bounty Star is an over-the-shoulder third-person action game that marries mech combat and customization with farming and base building. The player takes on the role of a broken but powerful ex-soldier named Clem — a war veteran, talented fighter and expert mech pilot. Clem attempts to shed the guilt and shame of her past and become a legitimate force for good in the Red Expanse, a post-post-apocalyptic version of the American Southwest.
PowerWash Simulator is back – satisfaction is a spray away! Dust off your power washer and relax into pure feel-good fun. Blast away every last speck, smear and splatter of filth to restore Muckingham (and beyond) to gleaming glory. Craving more to clean? The jobs and water keep flowing in PowerWash Simulator 2. Play through a fresh new campaign, uncovering more of Muckingham’s mysteries. Plus, venture even further out to brand-new grime-coated locations like Sponge Valley, Power Falls and Lubri City.
Eggs-traordinary times call for eggs-traordinary heroes. After surviving the daring events of Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, the gang is back in a brand-new adventure, and it turns out nuggets weren’t the only thing on the menu – chickenkind is still in danger! Take control of Molly, Rocky, Frizzle and the gang as they sneak, scurry and scramble through five tantalizingly treacherous fortified farms to liberate captured chickens.
Oh no! Swiper got his paws on the Super-Duper Duplicator, and now his clones are causing chaos everywhere. Dora and Boots must fix the Duplicator and restore the vibrant Alebrije Tree. Join them and their amigos, Tico, Isa, Benny, Big Red Chicken and Ale. Run, jump and swing through five locations, collecting Magic Leaves and pods. Unlock new places and objects. Solve riddles, use clues from friends and use Map to guide you! Qué Aventura! Stop Swiper from swiping while playing solo or team up in local co-op mode.
Fast & Furious: Arcade Edition delivers high-speed racing and adrenaline-fueled action straight from the arcade to console! Choose from licensed supercars and tear through intense, cinematic tracks packed with shortcuts, stunts, missions, and explosive surprises. Race solo or go head-to-head in thrilling 2-player split-screen. With drifting, nitro boosts, and precision driving, this is the ultimate pick-up-and-play racing experience for fans of pure, unfiltered speed!
It’s a high-octane arcade racer packed with iconic cars, epic tracks, and action-fueled gameplay inspired by the hit Netflix animated series “Hot Wheels Let’s Race.” Drift through wild courses, take on giant boss battles, and unlock a garage full of fan-favorite rides. With track building, local multiplayer and non-stop speed, the race is always on!
The Jackbox Party Pack 11 catapults you and your crew into the best timeline of party game pandemonium. Whether you’re a trivia titan, a joke mastermind, or the resident undercover detective of your friend group, there’s something for everyone in this pack. No extra controllers needed – players simply join the game and play using phones, tablets or computers!
Once Upon A KATAMARI – King of All Sounds Edition Pre-Order
A shiny, new Katamari Damacy adventure awaits! Experience new stages and a fabulous new soundtrack! Behold a fresh rolling experience, with never-before-seen support tools like the magnet to draw in nearby objects! How … attractive! The King was so well-behaved until he mistakenly crushed the Earth, the Moon, and numerous planets while fiddling with a peculiar scroll. Now roll your katamari through the Jurassic Era, Ice Age, historic Japan and more eras to rebuild the sky’s dazzling field of stars.
After years in Crazy Dave’s attic, the original battle between Plants and Zombies is back – bigger, brighter, and crazier than ever before! Experience the game that started it all, now remastered with upscaled HD graphics and packed with new secrets to uncover. Fend off waves of Zombies in the original lane-based defense mode, now with added bonus levels and new content! Pre-order to receive a retro Peashooter Skin!
Become a God once again in Reus 2 by taking control of mighty giants whose command over their elements allows you to shape worlds, create an ecosystem of resources and enable human civilizations to thrive. Your choices will determine the fates of these fragile human beings, whose autonomy may lead them to great heights.
The House of the Dead 2: Remake is a remake of the second entry in the well-known and popular rail-shooter series. Take on the lone role of a secret agent as James or Gary, or team up in co-op mode to neutralize the dangerous undead monsters standing in your way.
Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp brings you more of the world’s best (and maybe only?) multiplayer dating sim, but in a way you’ve never expected! The original Monster Prom is a multiplayer dating sim that shines for its beautiful art and unapologetic humor. The sequel brings you into a new setting (summer camp) with new characters to romance, including old faces and new ones: Damien, Calculester, Milo, Dahlia, Joy, and Aaravi. But that’s not all: Monster Camp comes with other new twists here and there, from the campfire mechanics to a new stage full of magic mixed drinks.
Monster Prom 3: Monster Roadtrip finally answers the age-old question: “What if we added survival mechanics to a beloved dating sim franchise?” Monster Roadtrip adds a twist to its predecessors Monster Prom and Monster Camp, multiplayer dating sims brimming with beautiful art and unapologetic humor. This sequel takes you on an unforgettable road trip along with fan-favorites Scott and Polly. On the way, you will stay at crummy motels, engage in dark cult rituals, help out strangers on the road and pick up more hitchhikers than Scott can count. Bump into old friends and meet plenty of new faces on your way to one of six destinations!
Returning from a hunting trip to find your lands in ruin, you must rebuild your home while fending off hordes of monsters that attack your gates every night. Should your city fall and the forces of darkness sweep across the land, you will awaken to begin a new run where you carry forward the rewards of prior attempts – more heroes at your disposal, previously unexplored lands already uncovered, and every opportunity to push further as you uncover the mystery that has you trapped in a never-ending cycle of life and death.
Ila’s beloved kitty, Coco, has mysteriously disappeared, and she’s determined to bring him back home! Explore a whimsical small open world as Ila, a spirited young witch-in-training flying on a magic Skatebroom. Uncover hidden stories, collect valuable items and improve your magical flying abilities in this cozy exploration platformer adventure.
DREAMOUT
Valkyrie Initiative LLP
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
Dreamout – October 21 Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere / Smart Delivery
Explore a surreal world with a cute alpaca! Solve puzzles, fish out the most unusual items from rivers, fight watermelon thugs and uncover all the secrets of this world!
Fit and Fry: Mise en Place is a casual puzzle game set in a restaurant, where every challenge takes place inside a frying pan. The goal is to perfectly organize the ingredients on the board, fulfilling customer orders and progressing through 40 levels that mix strategy and fun.
In Junkyard Builder, you’re the proud owner of a once-forgotten junkyard, now brimming with endless potential. Dive into the satisfying world of restoration, recycling and raw hustle as you transform trash into treasure and rise to become the ruler of the junk empire!
In a grim world of chaos, where reality feels like a thin layer over madness, welcome to Murder Inc — a top-down adrenaline-fueled shooter where time and style are your ultimate weapons. You are a mysterious operative, an antihero walking the fine line between life and death. Your targets are the criminals who rule the city from the labyrinth of filthy streets. But there’s a catch: every shot, strike, or step you take sets time in motion. The faster you move, the faster the world collapses around you.
Sedap! is a co-op cooking-combat adventure that combines the chaos of a co-op kitchen and the wonders of adventuring into an unexplored world. Embark on an exciting culinary journey, whip up delectable delicacies, and serve your way through a fantastical reimagining of Southeast Asia!
Astro Duel 2 blurs the line between space shooter and platform fighter. Whether versus or co-op, prepare to fight in space and on foot at the same time! Strike within the fully-destructible arenas or just nuke ‘em from orbit.
In a little gnomey village, in a whimsical forest … A Gnome Grandpa awaits his family to gather ‘round for his 100th birthday. Explore the forest’s lush greenery and find his tiny gnome kin trapped in curious places. Solve puzzles, collect family pictures, enjoy the hand-drawn artwork and help each gnome find their way back home.
Gruniożerca Trilogy is a remastered compilation of three independently developed retro puzzle games that originally launched on the NES. Take control of Grunio – a hungry pig on a mission – and dive into creative challenges packed with charm, humor, and pixel-perfect nostalgia.
Polar Bear is Hungry is a 2D puzzle-platformer game where you must collide blocks of ice to break them and get all the fish stuck inside. Simply touching the blocks will make them move, but pressing the attack action button is necessary to throw the ice blocks at one another to break them and get the fish. Now it’s time to use your logical thinking, creativity and puzzle solving skills to help our polar bear friend!
Survive a relentless battlefield in side-scrolling retro arcade style! Redex is a pixel-art survival shooter where you battle waves of enemies in fast-paced side-scrolling combat. Collect coins to buy ammo, grenades, armor, and more from vending machines, then trade rare gold for permanent upgrades and new characters.
You’re grounded again for something totally unfair, but your friends are hanging out at the arcade tonight and you CANNOT miss it! In Schoolboy Escape, you play as a clever teen with a talent for creative problem-solving who must devise the perfect plan to sneak out for an evening of fun while the house is on high alert.
The award-winning survival horror classic is back! Following the harrowing events at Wildberger Hospital, Caroline Walker hopes for a normal life with her sister, Anna. Yet in the months that follow, Anna is haunted by visions of violence and death, compelling her to create disturbing drawings that rapidly manifest into horrifying reality, and the sisters soon find themselves at the center of an entirely new nightmare …
In 1992, following a series of mysterious deaths caused by wild animals, as well as strange sightings of cryptids in the sparsely populated and underdeveloped Amazon region of Acre, a special operations brigade from the Brazilian Military Police was sent to the area to gather intelligence. However, the situation took an unexpected turn for the soldiers, who soon found themselves cornered in the midst of a jungle infested with hungry dinosaurs.
The ultimate nerd rage is back in Angry Video Game Nerd 8-bit: an all-new action platformer set in the AVGN universe! Play as The Nerd and blast your way across a host of pixel art levels crawling with zombies, mechanical skeletons, ghoulish reapers and more!
Build a castle by day and defend it by night. Becastled combines cozy city-building with thrilling tower defense strategy. Lead the Sun Kingdom in its final stand against the Moon beasts and bring an end to the ancient conflict between light and darkness! Rule over your own fantasy realm. Build a mighty keep, lay roads, gather resources and grow a thriving settlement that will feed and shelter your people. Keep your subjects happy with taverns and decorations, and your economy strong with markets and workshops — all to support an army ready to fight at your command.
Bloodshed is an exhilarating fusion of roguelite elements merged with retro-styled visuals and first-person “Survivors-like” frenetic combat action: Face endless waves of undead foes, collect experience points, and upgrade your skills and weapons in a battle to survive the night. Even after death, you keep your hard-earned money which can be exchanged for persistent improvements and unlockable content, allowing you to progress further while adding depth to the overall gameplay.
Dreamed Away is an emotional action-adventure RPG with psychological horror elements. Play as Théo, a boy lost in a dark, mysterious world. Explore a unique reality, duel against darkness in a unique, fast paced combat system and mind your choices.
In Just a Little Purr Suit, guide a clever kitten in a turn-based strategy puzzle with 65 handcrafted levels. Use cards to decide every move: advance, launch the kitten with cannons, bounce on trampolines, cross mysterious portals and even create new platforms to overcome challenges.
The Lonesome Guild is a single-player top-down action-RPG all about togetherness. Embark on a heroic adventure as Ghost, a spirit who wakes to find they hold no memories. The world has become shrouded by loneliness and the mist just keeps spreading, corrupting everyone in its path. Now it’s up to you to get the band back together … even if they’re meeting for the first time.
A fearful entity has taken over the world, but luckily the key to fight back is hidden inside your best friend’s body! A team of young, adventurous and brilliant scientists will shrink their bodies and use their skating skills to get inside their friend’s body and explore a world like they have never seen before! Join Max, Jin, Lia and Zev in this fun adventure and skate around thanks to their customizable nano-skates, solve science puzzles adapted to different ages. Explore, learn and fight to save the future of humanity!
Give sports facilities a second life in this relaxing story-driven simulator. Restore the glory of old gyms, courts and pitches, and add a sprinkle of your own style. Collect trash, clean up the dirt from walls and floors, give the place a fresh coat of paint, fix broken fixtures, furnish and decorate the place. Use the money you earn to upgrade your equipment and expand your headquarters – each unlocked room comes with its perks and sometimes a little side quest …
Sushi For Robots is a whimsical puzzle game about quirky robots and their insatiable cravings for sushi – how they actually process it is a mystery, but hey, if that makes them happy. As the seasoned chef of the favorite sushi venue in robot town, it’s up to you to get the perfect dish in time for each of your picky patrons, placing the right stickers on the conveyor belts to change one tuna roll into a salmon nigiri.
Step into the driver’s seat and embark on an epic train-driving experience built exclusively for console gamers. Trainz Simulator: World Tour takes you across 4 stunning locales in 3 countries – spanning the rugged landscapes of the USA, the iconic railways of Great Britain and the untamed beauty of the Australian Outback.
Embark on an exhilarating journey as a bird navigating the skies alongside your flock. In this beautifully crafted adventure, you will soar through 11 vibrant and diverse levels, each offering unique challenges and breathtaking landscapes. Your mission isn’t just about speed – it’s about staying connected with your flock as you all journey together, guided by instinct and unity.
Splash and smash your friends in this juicy party kart racing game! Make and take speedy shortcuts as you compete against the sweetest competition. A wholesome and hectic racer packed with power-ups and heavy laughter.
Ultimate Zombie Defense is a top-down survival horror set in the suburbs of a once quiet city, in the heart of continental Europe. The city and the surrounding 250 km landmass have been sealed off in an attempt to curtail the outbreak, although sadly all attempts have failed, until now.
After a traumatic event, Cora, a cinema student, finds herself suddenly transported to what’s known as the Limbo, or land of oblivion. In this land, you’ll be accompanied by a crow, who claims to be a god of death, and you will help him to solve the mystery of why you are on limbo and why other deaths occurred, in an investigation through time and space, in labyrinths that connect oblivion to human emotions.
Does liking someone really make you happy? I disagree. We might just enjoy the feeling of liking someone. I live in a serene and peaceful little village. There are no wars, and everything here is very pleasant, just like heaven or a utopia. In this perfect world, we meet and get to know each other. People’s emotions constantly intersect.
Inspired by horror and B-movies from the ’80s, Everdark takes us to a city infested with vampires. Armed with stakes, garlic, crosses, holy water and an arsenal of firearms and melee weapons, we’ll fight our way through this shooter that blends classic survival horror with an oppressive atmosphere.
Play poker like a champion! Think smart, bluff hard, and win big in this classic Texas Hold’em experience. Outsmart your opponents and prove that poker is more than luck — it’s skill, strategy, and nerve. Even a poor hand can become a brilliant victory in the right hands. Take a seat at the table, call, check, fold, raise, and bluff your way through intense rounds. With up to 4 AI opponents, every match is a new challenge. Are you ready to prove you’ve got what it takes to become the ultimate poker champ?
Make a fortune while working at a junkyard. You start with nothing but a hangover and slowly climb your way to success. You will have complete freedom in how you want to make money. Do you want to explore the world on foot or drive one of the available vehicles? Do you prefer to search for junk or look for hidden treasures? Is renovation your thing? Or maybe you’re more of a heavy machinery kind of guy? Would you rather sell enormous amounts of small items or try something more ambitious, like repairing a vintage car? Whatever you choose, and as long as it is junk-related, we got you covered.
The world is overrun by terrifying creatures, and only the toughest will make it out alive! Battle endless waves of monsters, face massive bosses and upgrade your survivors to become unstoppable. Every run is a new challenge! Improve your stats, unleash devastating abilities and buy epic artifacts as you carve your path through the apocalypse.
Best friends Sok & Jester devise a mischievous scheme to steal the Royal Diamond! To complete their master plan, they must start an improv theatre show and outperform every other act – including their rivals, Hofnar & Bok. Only becoming the best show in the kingdom will get them invited to the Royal Theatrical Spectacle in the Royal Palace, where the king keeps his precious gem.
Inflate your balloon as much as you can while dodging spiky balls. Time your moves perfectly to grow bigger without popping — and watch out, the bigger you are, the harder it gets! Challenge your friends in the exciting Versus mode, where 2 players go head-to-head! Race to the finish line or compete to collect the most coins before time runs and win!
In Solus, you play as a lost soul navigating through a dark, dreamlike landscape in this platforming adventure. To escape, you must collect symbols of light and awaken ancient totems that will guide you toward freedom. Explore atmospheric stages filled with hidden secrets, deadly traps, and intense platforming challenges. Discover collectibles in secret areas, avoid lethal hazards, and unravel the mysteries of your subconscious. Every step forward brings you closer to the truth — or drags you deeper into the nightmare.
Zoochosis is a bodycam horror simulation game. You’re a zookeeper. Identify infected mutant animals, make a vaccine and cure them. Will you save all of them and survive? This is your first night shift as a zookeeper. You find out that some animals are infected and turning into mutants. Save them and save yourself. Unravel the mystery of the zoo. Choose wisely. Your choices will determine your ending.
We surprise-added a bunch of games last week – for cloud, console, PC, and even the upcoming ROG Xbox Ally handhelds – with more to come, meaning we have something for everyone. Let’s get to the games.
Available Today
Supermarket Simulator (Cloud, Console, and PC) Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
Run your own supermarket in this store management game! Stock shelves, set your prices, take payments, hire staff, expand your store, handle shoplifters, and design your layout. Purchase goods from online or local markets around town and personally deliver online orders to your customers.
Coming Soon
Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Editions (PC) – October 9 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
Available on console and cloud gaming and now coming to Xbox on PC! Gather your party; the RPG saga returns. Immerse yourself in an epic RPG series where every choice matters. Play over 100 hours of adventure in enhanced editions of Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II!
The Casting of Frank Stone(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – October 14 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
The shadow of Frank Stone looms over Cedar Hills, a town forever altered by his violent past. As a group of young friends are about to discover, Stone’s blood-soaked legacy cuts deep, leaving scars across families, generations, and the very fabric of reality itself.
Ball x Pit(Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 15 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one with Game Pass:Ball x Pit is a brick-breaking, ball-fusing, base-building survival roguelite. Batter hordes of enemies with ricocheting balls and gather the riches of the pit to expand your homestead, generate resources and recruit unique heroes.
The Grinch has a wonderful, awful idea – steal all the presents in Who-ville, using gadgets like his stealthy Santa costume and Candy Cane Lasso. Help him sneak around, freeze creatures with snowballs, and learn the meaning of Christmas along the way, in this festive platformer!
Eternal Strands(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – October 15 Now with Game Pass Premium
Eternal Strands is the debut fantasy title from Yellow Brick Games. Fight epic, towering creatures while blending magical abilities with an arsenal of powerful weapons to keep the world from crumbling in this third-person, action-adventure game.
Deep in the forgotten corners of the world, a dark force stirs – the Demon King rises once more. Sharpen your wits, seek out powerful artifacts, and stand firm in the face of the apocalypse in this roguelite RPG auto battler.
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – October 15 Now with Game Pass Premium
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black features the high-speed, ninja action of iconic hero Ryu Hayabusa and his deadly Dragon Sword. Embark on a global battle against formidable foes, engage in relentless combat, and play as additional characters Momiji, Ayana and Rachel.
Pax Dei (PC) – October 16 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
Welcome to a vast, social sandbox MMO inspired by the legends of the medieval era. Here, myths are real, ghosts exist, and magic is unquestioned. Join thousands of players as you explore the land, build your home, forge your reputation, and craft your own stories. What world will you make?
Keeper(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – October 17 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one with Game Pass! From Lee Petty and Double Fine Productions, Keeper is a story told without words, in which a long-forgotten lighthouse is awakened and, joined by a spirited seabird, it embarks upon a heartening tale of unlikely companionship, and an unexpected journey into realms beyond understanding.
Evil West(Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 21 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
Making a return to the Game Pass library! A dark menace consumes the Old West. In solo or co-op, fight with style in visceral, explosive combat against bloodthirsty monstrosities. Eradicate the vampiric hordes with your lightning-fueled gauntlet and become a Wild West Superhero.
Ninja Gaiden 4(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – October 21 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one with Game Pass! The definitive ninja hack and slash franchise returns with Ninja Gaiden 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.
In Case You Missed It
We recently revealed new details about Xbox Game Pass memberships. You can learn more about this below:
Hogwarts Legacy(Cloud, Console, and PC) – Available now Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world action RPG set in the world first introduced in the Harry Potter books. Embark on a journey through familiar and new locations as you explore and discover magical beasts, customize your character and craft potions, master spell casting, upgrade talents and become the wizard you want to be.
Little Rocket Lab(Cloud, Console, and PC) – Available now Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Little Rocket Lab is a cozy, machine building RPG. You play as Morgan, an aspiring engineer! Head home to St. Ambroise to help complete your family’s dream-building a rocket. Help the locals with new machines, be creative, and become the ultimate engineer! That rocket isn’t going to build itself!
DLC / Game Updates
Dead by Daylight: Sinister Grace – Available now The skin tears. The head rises. The hunt begins. In Dead by Daylight: Sinister Grace, play as The Krasue, forever cursed by insatiable hunger and a terrifying creature well suited for The Fog. The Krasue’s blood-drenched tale is one of ambition gone awry.
Diablo IV: Season of Infernal Chaos – Available now Season 10 takes gameplay to chaotic heights, with updates that encourage deeper build experimentation and mastery through powerful Chaos Armor Uniques and deadly class-tailored Chaos Perks. The chaos persists in endgame with revamped Infernal Hordes, now overtaken by new, relentless Chaos Waves.
FBC: Firebreak – Breakpoint Update – Available now The first free Major Update, Breakpoint is packed with systemic overhauls, new content, and quality-of-life improvements – all aimed at making FBC: Firebreak more fun, varied, and rewarding to play.
Grounded 2: Hairy and Scary Update – Available now The Hairy and Scary update unleashes AXL the tarantula with a full armor set to craft, new weapons to wield, and new base décor. Fine-tune your loadout with new gear and build smarter with the streamlined BUILD.M interface as you prepare to face AXL on the back of your Buggy.
Age of Empires II: DE – Chronicles: Alexander the Great – October 14 Pre-order now and save 15%! Prepare for the next chapter in the fan-favorite Chronicles saga by stepping into the sandals of history’s greatest conqueror. Embark on Alexander the Great’s epic journey in this narrative-driven campaign featuring three new civilizations, customizable armies, and fresh storytelling.
In-Game Benefits
Now all Game Pass subscribers can get in-game benefits for eligible free-to-play games and titles in the Xbox Game Pass library, in addition to special offers like Discord Nitro. Specific benefits may vary per plan, region, and time.
Valorant: Play the new Agent Veto (Console and PC) – Available now Upset your enemy’s gameplan and take every fight on YOUR terms with Veto: Valorant’s new Senegalese Sentinel whose Radivore mutation shuts down and shrugs off enemy abilities.
Call of Duty: Warzone – Game Pass Pack 4 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 15 Get a free in-game bundle for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone. This pack includes operator skins, weapon blueprints, emotes, weapon charms and more that you can use in both games.
Leaving October 15
The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon. Be sure to pick up where you left off before they go and remember you can save up to 20% off your purchase to keep the fun going!
Cocoon (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Core Keeper (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutants Unleashed (Cloud, Console, and PC)
No matter how you want to game – be it on your PC, your console, a metaphorical ton of devices for cloud gaming (maybe a literal ton, if you count the CAR that has cloud gaming??), we have something for you. Talk soon!
The Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2025 Broadcast just wrapped up, bringing you a fresh look at what’s coming to players around the world this year and next from our creative teams, our incredible partners across Asia, and beyond.
From Xbox Game Studios, Forza Horizon 6 is coming in 2026 with Japan as the setting, we offered a deep-dive into the difficulty settings coming to Ninja Gaiden 4 (developed by Team Ninja and PlatinumGames), announced that a Japan World Update arrives in Microsoft Flight Simulator and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 today, and revealed new gameplay for Age of Mythology’s Japan-inspired Heavenly Spear expansion, which launches next week. Activision revealed Japan-set maps for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and Bethesda showed off some of the best Japanese-created C.A.M.P.s built for Fallout 76 following its recent updates.
Our partners across Asia and the rest of the world brought even more. We saw a world premiere for Gungrave Gore: Blood Heat, Square Enix surprise-released RPG Romancing Saga 2: Revenge of the Seven for Xbox, and Capcom showed off more of Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection – along with the news that the first two games in the series are on their way to Xbox. IO Interactive brought star power, with the reveal of a lead character in 007 First Light, as well as a Bruce Lee-themed mission in Hitman: World of Assassination. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, with 25 different games included in the show.
Several games featured in the broadcast will be available for Game Pass subscribers, including Terminull Brigade, Winter Burrow, and show-closer Forza Horizon 6. Game Pass continues to deliver unmatched quality, with many new releases making up Metacritic’s best reviewed games of 2025 so far, including three of the current top five: Blue Prince, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Hollow Knight: Silksong. And the momentum isn’t slowing down. Still to come to Game Pass subscribers this year, in order of release: Keeper, Ninja Gaiden 4, The Outer Worlds 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and much more.
And the majority of titles in the show also have Xbox Play Anywhere support, empowering people to play the games they want, wherever they are, and with whatever device they’re using. That includes on-the-go, with the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds arriving on October 16 – and playable on the showfloor at Tokyo Game Show.
But you want to know everything, right? Read on to learn about everything announced:
Age of Mythology: Heavenly Spear Offers a New Look Ahead of Launch Next Week
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5
Age of Mythology: Retold’s next expansion, Heavenly Spear takes players to Japan, where they’ll encounter new gods, new monsters, new powers, a new story, and more. The brand-new 12 mission campaign focuses on Yasuko, a farmer’s daughter who takes on a new destiny when she discovers a magical spear. As war looms and chaos spreads across the land, Yasuko must uncover the relic’s secrets and prevent it from falling into the hands of Kagemasa, a ruthless warlord who seeks to imprison the sun goddess Amaterasu and claim godhood for himself.
Heavenly Spear launches on September 30, with preorders open now on most platforms. Those who purchase the Age of Mythology: Retold – Premium Editionwill receive Heavenly Spear upon launch.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Introduces Japan-Set Multiplayer Maps
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one on Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
The teams from Treyarch and Beenox made an appearance to offer a first look at a few Multiplayer maps set in Japan, coming to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
Toshin offers a look at 2035 Tokyo, combining well-defined lanes and some really fun set pieces – including a cat cafe, a karaoke bar, and a crashed train. Den offers a different vibe – set in the countryside outside Tokyo, this map centers around a Japanese castle that’s been repurposed as a Guild base.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches on November 14, with the Early Access Beta beginning on October 2, and the Open Beta from October 5.
Fallout 76 Developers Thank the Japanese Community
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Game Pass – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
It’s been a busy year in Appalachia. This year, Fallout 76 has seen the release of The Ghoul Within (which allowed players to play as Ghouls for the first time), Gone Fission (which introduced brand new fishing mechanics and quests), and, most recently, C.A.M.P. Revamp, which added newfound flexibility to building tools in the game.
Fallout 76‘s developers made an appearance in the show to thank Japanese players for embracing each new update, and even showed off some of the most impressive Japanese-made C.A.M.P.s created so far.
Forza Horizon 6 Will Take Us to Japan in 2026
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam. Coming to PlayStation 5 post-launch
Forza Horizon 6 closed the show by announcing that the beloved open world racing series will return in 2026, this time taking players to the breathtaking landscapes of Japan. A teaser trailer gave us callbacks to each of the previous games, before giving us a taste of the gorgeous new world we’ll be exploring – with Mount Fuji dominating a landscape that includes serene waters and urban environments, as cherry blossoms flutter on the breeze.
Forza Horizon 6 will arrive in 2026, and you can learn more right now on Xbox Wire – we interviewed the developers to answer some of the biggest questions about moving the series to Japan. Wishlist now on Xbox and Steam.
Microsoft Flight Simulator: Japan World Update and New Local Legend Revealed
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, Game Pass – also available on Steam
Microsoft Flight Simulator’s World Update 20: Japan is massive! This latest free update adds 23 new photogrammetry areas to the simulator, covering over 20,000 square kilometres.
The regions included add major Japanese cities like Hiroshima, Kyoto, Osaka, Sapporo, Tokyo, as well as five new highly-detailed, handcrafted airports, and 67 new points of interest, including Osaka Castle, one of the most important historical locations in Japan, Fukuoka Tower, the tallest seaside tower in Japan, and more.
In addition to World Update 20: Japan, we also saw a new Local Legend, the famous Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (NAMC) YS-11.
World Update 20: Japan is a free content update for all Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 simmers and the NAMC YS-11 is available now in the in-sim marketplace for $19.99. The sky is calling!
Ninja Gaiden 4 Challenges You to Become a Master Ninja
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5
Team Ninja and PlatinumGames unveiled a first look at the difficulty design in Ninja Gaiden 4, showcasing dynamic enemy placement and aggressive AI that scale with difficulty levels. The game stays true to its punishing roots, while introducing a new hero mode and adjustable assists that can ease newcomers into its signature high-speed combat. A stand-alone training mode – a first in the series – lets players sharpen their skills before diving into battle. You can read more on Xbox Wire now.
Also revealed ahead of the show were two sword-inspired creations. First, Ryu Hayabusa’s Dragon Sword and new protagonist Yakumo’s Takeminakata were forged and brought to life by master swordsmith Yuya Nakanishi. Then, the exciting new Ninja Gaiden 4 Xbox Design Lab standard and Elite Series 2 controllers were made available for purchase. Ninja Gaiden 4 launches October 21. Preorder now to unlock the Dark Dragon Descendant Yakumo Skin at launch, and grab the Deluxe Edition for bonus cosmetics, in-game items, and access to future gameplay content: The Two Masters.
007 First Light: Gemma Chan Joins the Ensemble Cast
Xbox Series X|S – see developer website for other platforms
British actress Gemma Chan (‘Eternals’, ‘Crazy Rich Asians’, ‘The Creator’) makes her video game debut as Selina Tan, MI6’s Head of Tactical Simulation, in 007 First Light. Selina Tan is a senior MI6 official who leads Tactical Simulations, a program to train elite recruits. Formerly a psychology and strategy academic turned immersive tech expert, she now applies scientific precision and strategic insight to British Intelligence.
In 007 First Light, play as James Bond, a young, resourceful, and sometimes reckless recruit in MI6’s training program, and discover a new standalone, re-imagined origin story of the world’s most famous spy. Find out more on Xbox Wire.
Aniimo: Meet Even More Creatures
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Highly-anticipated creature-catching ARPG Aniimo introduced a number of the fascinating creatures who inhabit the world of Idyll. The TGS trailer gave players a first look at how a number of Aniimo interact with each other and their environment to create totally unique opportunities for discovery and gameplay! Get more details on the new creatures on Xbox Wire.
Double Dragon Revive Offers a Deeper Look Into ‘Extra Mode’
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One – see developer website for other platforms
New details are here for Double Dragon Revive! Beyond the main Story Mode, today we showcased the challenging Extra Mode. This mode will test your skills with over 50 missions. Clear them to unlock character-specific episodes, offering new story perspectives. Join forces with a friend in two-player co-op, online or locally! Double Dragon Revive launches October 23, 2025. Pre-order today!
Dragon Quest I & II 2D-HD Remake: A Brand-new Area, Ocean Floor Revealed
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Dragon Quest I & II HD Remake isn’t just offering a new way to play these timeless RPGs – it’s also opening up an entirely new area to explore. Producer Hayasaka Masaaki guided viewers through Ocean Floor, showing the player’s party meeting a mermaid, and being invited to save the area. You’ll explore the desecrated underwater town of Mersea, battle a multitude of monsters, and solve the mystery of what’s befallen this hidden region. Dragon Quest I & II HD Remake arrives on October 30, 2025.
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake – A Beautiful Revival of the Classic Horror Experience
Xbox Series X|S – see developer website for other platforms
Koei Tecmo’s classic is reborn, more beautiful and horrifying than ever in Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake!
Fatal Frame Series Director Makoto Shibata, talked about the remake’s improvements over the original, including graphical and audio enhancements to help turn up the fright, while bringing the Japanese horror classic to a whole new audience. He also touched on how the Camera Obscura has evolved, and new action additions to help players battle the evil spirits haunting a village of never-ending night. Coming early 2026, wishlist now!
Gungrave Gore Blood Heat Revealed
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Fans got their first look at Gungrave Gore Blood Heat – this world premiere showed off the cult classic action game, rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5, showcasing explosive new action. The demo highlighted Grave’s iconic dual-gun shootouts enhanced with brutal close-quarters combat and a revamped stylish action system. Players also witnessed newly designed enemy characters and explosive interactions that elevate the battlefield intensity. Find out more about the project on Xbox Wire.
Hitman: World of Assassination – Martial Arts Legend Bruce Lee Joins Agent 47 in a New Mission
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud – see developer website for other platforms
Set in the dazzling arena of an international martial arts tournament at the Himmapan Hotel in Bangkok, this mission introduces a high-stakes twist: Agent 47 must protect the undercover Agent Lee, who has infiltrated the tournament that doubles as a recruitment tool and cover for leadership meetings of Concord Union.
Lee must not only win but also earn the final prize: a duel with the Union’s elusive leader – The Dragon Head. Play for free from September 25 to November 20. Find out more on Xbox Wire.
Hotel Barcelona Reveals Multiplayer Modes Ahead of Release Tomorrow
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
The legendary creators of Hotel Barcelona, Hidetaka “Swery” Suehiro and Goichi “Suda51” Suda, made an appearance to unveil the game’s multiplayer options – and it’s more than just a bolt-on, crowdpleaser mode. The game will offer up to three-player co-op, introducing new layers of complexity and strategy. There will also be a PvP invasion system: invaders step into someone else’s run and become adversarial doppelgängers, locked in mortal combat until one player falls – with rewards given to the victor.
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Mistfall Hunter premiered an exclusive developer update introducing Solemn Needles, the game’s second map, confirmed for launch. Set within a bleached and sacred forest, Solemn Needles highlights the Divine Anchor – a relic whose lingering power draws enemies – alongside Hastine’s Fall, where the corpse of a giant still radiates divine strength, and the shadowed Witchery Woods, dense with secrets.
The video underscored that the hunt is far from over—sharpen your blades, ready your gear, and prepare to step back into the Gyldenmist soon.
Monster Hunter Stories – The Whole Series, Coming to Xbox
Monster Hunter Stories 3 available on Xbox Series X|S, Monster Hunter Stories 1 and 2 available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One – see developer website for other platforms
Monster Hunter Stories is a turn-based RPG series where you hatch, raise, and train Monsters.
The latest entry in the series, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, will be available on March 13, 2026. In a surprise announcement, we also say the announcement that the first entry, Monster Hunter Stories, and its sequel, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, will both be available on Xbox from November 14, 2025. Pre-order begins today with a limited-time discount!
Project Evilbane Shows Off Its 4-Player Action-RPG Combat
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Project Evilbane has unveiled its second trailer! After fierce battles and hard-won victories, the heroes now face the ultimate enemy with the power to destroy the world. The trailer hints at relentless combat and new challenges ahead, promising epic moments and strategic action.
Players can already experience the game through a pre-alpha test available via the Xbox Insider Program. Project Evilbane is a dynamic 4-player co-op action RPG where teamwork, skill customization, and intense boss battles will shape the fate of a shattered world. The fight for humanity has just begun!
Rhythm Doctor On Call From December 6
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Thanks to its robust toolset and 7th Beat’s unique gameplay design ethos, Rhythm Doctor is one of the only games in existence able to act as a video editor for its own trailer. Everything in the spot is a single shot without any cuts or splices; all the effects, layered shots, and jumps between different songs are achieved in-game, set to a mashup of songs that represent less than half of the game’s total tracklist. And you’ll be able to play Rhythm Doctor on December 6.
Romancing Saga 2: Revenge of the Seven – Out Now for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
The Seven Heroes of legend are back seeking revenge, this time on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC! Signature Saga franchise systems like Glimmers and Formations were shown in action as well as Surprise Attack and United Attack – new additions for this remake. Experience the key freeform scenario system, where your choices and actions change the way the story unfolds. Inherit stats and abilities from previous Emperors, continue to grow stronger, and put an end to the Seven Heroes once and for all.
Starsand Island Gets a First-Ever CG Trailer
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Starsand Island unveiled its first-ever CG trailer, highlighting the game’s cozy, heartwarming island setting and key features like open-ended farming and creative DIY building. The footage also ended with a subtle tease of multiplayer elements, sparking excitement for future cooperative experiences.
Sudden Strike 5: Coming 2026
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC – see developer website for other platforms
In this Xbox-exclusive trailer, witness the return of strategic WWII combat in Sudden Strike 5! Harness the tactical brilliance of authentic Generals from each faction, combining their strengths with your own in an enhanced Doctrine System. Tackle difficult secondary objectives to secure the advantage, or charge straight towards your primary target with overwhelming force, secure your position and prepare to advance in Sudden Strike 5, coming 2026!
Terminull Brigade Brings the Nullverse to Xbox with Neon Genesis Evangelion Crossover
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Terminull Brigade invited fans back to the Nullverse with a CG trailer featuring the Rogueteers defending their digital realm. The showcase teased a Neon Genesis Evangelion collaboration, giving fans a glimpse of the crossover content. The trailer concluded with the announcement of Terminull Brigade launching for consoles and Xbox on PC, expanding the game to new platforms. Find out more about this unique game on Xbox Wire.
Winter Burrow, A Cozy Woodland Survival Game, Debuts Release Date Trailer
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Winter Burrow’s new trailer tells the story of a young city mouse returning to the harsh winter wilderness. Narrated by a wise, unseen elder mouse through a whimsical nursery rhyme, we see the mouse face hunger, cold, and other perils. Each verse of the rhyme offers guidance, from cooking stews to knitting sweaters and braving the forest.
Along the way, new friends lend their support as the mouse learns to survive. The trailer ends with the burrow transformed into a safe haven, a refuge against the cold, and with the reveal of the release date: November 12, 2025.
When we set out to launch Ninja Gaiden 4, we asked ourselves: what if the blades of legend weren’t confined to the game? What if Ryu Hayabusa’s iconic Dragon Sword and new protagonist Yakumo’s Takeminakata — weapons rooted in centuries of lore — could be forged in the real world? That question brought us to Kyoto, Japan, where ancient swordsmithing traditions met the next chapter of Ninja Gaiden.
In association with master swordsmith Yuya Nakanishi and the Masahiro Tantoujou Sword Forge, we set out to create real-life versions of the Dragon Sword and the Takeminakata. These aren’t just props — they’re living, breathing testaments to craft, power, and story.
The Stories of the Swords
The Dragon Sword has always been more than steel. In-game, it’s the ancestral blade passed down through the Dragon Lineage for generations.,
Combined with the Eye of the Dragon, a sacred jewel granted to Ryu by his childhood friend Kureha, the blade now displays its full power, transforming into the “True Dragon Sword.” With this legendary blade in hand, Ryu has purged the encroaching forces of evil and saved the world time and time again.
Yakumo’s Takeminakata has also been passed down through generations of the Raven Clan, who have actively collected cursed blades to utilize with Bloodbind Ninjutsu. Yakumo uses Bloodbind Ninjutsu to share the life force of blood with Takeminakata and the accursed armaments to maximize their destructive potential.
The Creation Process
Creating these blades in real life took months. Hundreds of hours. And no compromises. Each artisan at Masahiro Tantoujou Sword Forge approached their part of the process with the same dedication Ryu and Yakumo bring to battle — patience, discipline, and unwavering focus.
The result? Two swords that don’t just mirror their in-game counterparts — they embody them. When you see the Dragon Sword’s gleam or the Takeminakata’s raven feather-imbued blade, you’re not just looking at steel. You’re looking at the legacy of the Dragon Clan and the Raven clan, and the Master Ninjas that define Ninja Gaiden 4.
This collaboration is more than a celebration of a game. It’s where story meets steel, and where fantasy becomes something you can hold in your hands. Because in Ninja Gaiden 4, legends aren’t imagined — they’re forged.
NINJA GAIDEN 4 Preorder Deluxe Edition
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
$89.99
Pre-order now to receive the Dark Dragon Descendant Yakumo Skin at launch
Experience a return to the intense, high-octane action of NINJA GAIDEN with the Deluxe Edition! The Deluxe Edition includes:
• NINJA GAIDEN 4 base game
• Future Gameplay Content “The Two Masters”*
• Traditional Dark Blue and Legendary Black Falcon Ryu Skins
• Blade of the Archfiend Ryu Weapon Skin
• Divine Chimera and Raven Master Yakumo Skins
• Divine Chimera Yakumo Weapon Set
• 50,000 Bonus NinjaCoin
• Additional In-Game Items such as Life Elixirs, Incense of Rebirth, Kongou Iron Brew, and more!
The definitive ninja hack & slash franchise returns with NINJA GAIDEN 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.
RETURN OF THE LEGEND
Experience a return to the intense, high-speed combat that established NINJA GAIDEN as a premier action game series. Prepare for a legacy reborn with captivating style for a new generation of players.
EPIC HACK AND SLASH COMBAT, EVOLVED
NINJA GAIDEN 4 fuses Team NINJA’s tempered combat philosophy with the stylish, dynamic action gameplay of PlatinumGames. Engage in visually stunning combat that rewards precision and strategy. Use Bloodbind Ninjutsu to transform your weapons and unleash devastation upon your enemies, alongside legacy techniques like the Izuna Drop and Flying Swallow. The legendary Ryu Hayabusa also returns with a revamped yet familiar set of tools to master. With a customizable player experience, NINJA GAIDEN 4 will push action game veterans to their limits while allowing newcomers to enjoy a heart-pounding adventure full of twists and turns.
AN ANCIENT ENEMY RETURNS
An endless rain of miasma hangs over a near-future Tokyo in the wake of an ancient enemy’s resurrection. The fate of the city lies in the hands of young ninja prodigy, Yakumo. Fighting his way through cybernetic ninja soldiers and otherworldly creatures, Yakumo must reconcile a destiny he shares with the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself and free Tokyo from the ancient curse that brought the city to its knees.
*For release date when announced, see https://www.xbox.com/games/ninja-gaiden-4.
NINJA GAIDEN 4 Preorder Standard Edition
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆ 4
★★★★★
$69.99
Pre-order now to receive the Dark Dragon Descendant Yakumo Skin at launch
The definitive ninja hack & slash franchise returns with NINJA GAIDEN 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.
Return of the Legend
Experience a return to the intense, high-speed combat that established NINJA GAIDEN as a premier action game series. Prepare for a legacy reborn with captivating style for a new generation of players.
Epic Hack and Slash Combat, Evolved
NINJA GAIDEN 4 fuses Team NINJA’s tempered combat philosophy with the stylish, dynamic action gameplay of PlatinumGames. Engage in visually stunning combat that rewards precision and strategy. Use Bloodbind Ninjutsu to transform your weapons and unleash devastation upon your enemies, alongside legacy techniques like the Izuna Drop and Flying Swallow. The legendary Ryu Hayabusa also returns with a revamped yet familiar set of tools to master. With a customizable player experience, NINJA GAIDEN 4 will push action game veterans to their limits while allowing newcomers to enjoy a heart-pounding adventure full of twists and turns.
An Ancient Enemy Returns
An endless rain of miasma hangs over a near-future Tokyo in the wake of an ancient enemy’s resurrection. The fate of the city lies in the hands of young ninja prodigy, Yakumo. Fighting his way through cybernetic ninja soldiers and otherworldly creatures, Yakumo must reconcile a destiny he shares with the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself and free Tokyo from the ancient curse that brought the city to its knees.
It’s been over a decade since the last numbered Ninja Gaiden game. While the precision-based hack-and-slash series was sleeping, most action games went one of two ways. They either morphed into sprawling RPG adventures full of bloat or tried to ape the obsession with Soulslikes, incorporating methodical hitbox dodging and disciplined stamina management. But one of the kings of 3D arcade action is awake again and ready to dispense with all of the popular trend chasing. Ninja Gaiden 4 is mostly a game about killing tons of guys by executing the most lethal combos and flashiest executions you can master, and it seems to be completely content with that. I am too.
I had a chance to play a recent build of the game at Microsoft’s campus (Xbox is publishing the game) during PAX West 2025 ahead of Ninja Gaiden 4‘s release on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on October 21. The joint venture between Koei Tecmo’s Team Ninja and Bayonetta makers Platinum Games appears to be going great. Rather than a disjointed sequel divided between two game design philosophies struggling with each other and the series’ infamous legacy, what I played of Ninja Gaiden 4 felt smooth, focused, and fun. Most importantly it exuded confidence about what it is: a high-skill action game that rewards diligent fans with satisfyingly gory thrills.
The story revolves around returning frontman Ryu Hayabusa and a new hero, the Raven Clan’s Yakumo, as they scale a cyberpunk-infused Sky City Tokyo infested with new daemon horrors and futuristic ninja soldiers. Each character has access to different weapons and skill sets, and which you play depends on the chapter your in. The option to replay any chapter as either one unlocks after you finish, and for demo purposes I opted to go with Ryu for old times’ sake.
Within seconds I was chopping off heads and staggering enemies with throwing stars. A perfect dodge gives you a small window to press the attack with a counter-strike that breaks through enemy defenses. There’s also a perfect parry that consists of attacking an enemy right as they’re about to attack you, but it’s an awkward window to exploit and doesn’t feel nearly as satisfying when you’re in the heat of combat (and for those who want a less crunchy experience, there’s an option in the settings menu to turn hitstop completely off).
Ninja Gaiden 4 thrives when you’re constantly moving and trying to combo light, heavy, and projectile attacks into a conveyor belt of carnage. Doing so builds up meter to unleash special attacks or enter a time-limited transformation that alters your moveset an also makes it more lethal, culminating in stylish new insta-kill animations that swap the screen to black, white, and red. The old obliterations are there too, letting you unleash geysers of blood as you quickly execute foes already suffering from severed limbs. The pulled-out third-person camera also performed well during the demo, rarely tripping me up with off-screen attacks amid the controlled chaos.
I only had time to experience the first layer or two of combat, and can see how two characters, a handful of weapons each, and all of the other secondary moves can add up into a combat system with enough depth to keep things interesting while never losing sight of the moment-to-moment satisfaction that propels a game like this forward and keeps you from rage-quitting once you hit a difficulty spike or two (there are three difficulty modes in Ninja Gaiden 4 that you can swap between at any time).
What I’ll be most curious to see from the finished game is whether its level design will feel equally refined or just like a means to an end. The early couple of sections I experienced included some wall running, wall jumping, and grappling hook swinging, both for platforming and combat. Ninja Gaiden 4 has collectibles and I encountered the occasional fork in the road to explore, while statues dotting the level offer checkpoints at which to buy items from and upgrade skills.
But most of the action was confined to flat arenas without many interesting features outside of some split elevations and grappling hook points. If Team Ninja and Platinum Games are able to imbue the later stages with as much drama in-between the big battles as during them, Ninja Gaiden 4 could be the return to demanding hack-and-slash action fans have been waiting for, perfecting the essentials and carving away the rest.
