Ninja Gaiden fans are disappointed with series protagonist Ryu Hayabusa's treatment in the franchise's latest entries, including the upcoming Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound game from Dotemu and The Game Kitchen. 2025 is a very notable year for the Ninja Gaiden franchise, as Koei Tecmo dubs it the "Year of the Ninja," thanks to multiple new releases for the series.
During Microsoft's Xbox Developer Direct in January 2025, Koei Tecmo, Team Ninja and PlatinumGames surprised Ninja Gaiden fans with the reveal of Ninja Gaiden 4, which stars the new protagonist Yakumo from the Raven clan alongside Ryu. Although Ninja Gaiden 4 is planned for release on October 21, fans still have plenty of Ninja Gaiden games to enjoy before the fourth numbered title's release. These games include the already released Ninja Gaiden 2 Black and the upcoming Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, with the latter launching on July 31 for PC and consoles. However, fans aren't happy with how Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja have treated the franchise's iconic protagonist over the past decade leading up to Ninja Gaiden 4's release later this year.
Ryu Hayabusa won't be alone in facing Ninja Gaiden 4’s threats, but his new ally needs to match the...
