This afternoon, KOEI TECMO America and Team NINJA officially announced Nioh 3. This latest entry in the series is scheduled to launch for both PS5 and PC via Steam, sometime in early 2026. A more specific release date has not yet been announced at this time. However, the press release mentions that for a limited time a free demo is now available for PS5. Check it out while you can, because the demo will only be available until June 18th. The press release states that this Nioh 3 Alpha Demo lets players test out the new Samurai and Ninja skills and gives an early look at the game, including the character creation system which is still a work in progress. When you finish the demo, you’ll be able to leave feedback on the game’s official website. Not only that, but players who complete the demo will get a special helmet they can use in the game’s full release when it launches. Feel free to check out Nioh 3‘s announcement trailer down below and read a bit about the game from the latest press release.
Nioh 3 tells the tale of a young warrior poised to become the next Shogun inside Japan’s historically turbulent Sengoku period. The game is set in an open field, in which players can freely explore, while enjoying the unique tension that accompanies all Nioh titles. Face formidable encounters with monstrous yokai, explore villages where suspicious beings lurk, take on the daunting challenges of The Crucible, and enjoy the thrilling, hostile new environments while fighting to survive the cursed kingdom!
New to the Nioh series is the ability to enjoy two distinct fighting styles in combat: Samurai and Ninja. The Samurai style provides a gameplay experience similar to previous Nioh titles. New actions such as “Arts Proficiency,” which enhances the power of martial arts, and “Deflect,” which allows players to block enemy attacks at the last moment, have been added, helping create a series of intense and deadly face-to-face confrontations.
Meanwhile, Ninja style excels in quick movements like dodging and aerial actions, giving ninjas the advantage of being able to attack from outside of the enemy’s range by utilizing a variety of “Ninjitsu” techniques according to the situation on the battlefield. Players have the ability to use techniques like “Mist,” which leaves a clone after an attack, and “Evade,” which allows for narrowly avoiding enemy strikes. Both techniques help players outmaneuver foes while delivering devastating speed attacks from behind.
Based on the tendencies of the enemies and stages, players can switch seamlessly between Samurai and Ninja techniques instantly at any time or choose to fight using only one style continuously depending on the challenges and confrontations ahead.