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Team Ninja showcased a new open-world action RPG set in Japan at Sony's State of Play and also confirmed that it was a PS5 console exclusive game.
Rise of the Ronin, developer Team Ninja's new open-world action RPG, has been announced as a PS5 console exclusive game. The announcement also brought with it the first demonstration of gameplay, although the game is still quite some time away from release.
Team Ninja president and game director Fumihiko Yasuda described Rise of Ronin as combat-centric. Yasuda, who also directs action games like the Nioh series and Ninja Gaiden, detailed in a blog post after the game's exposure that the game was the ninja team's most ambitious project ever. The news may come as a surprise to some, as the ninja team is still working on the upcoming Crouching Dragon: Skyfall.
In an exposed trailer that aired during the September 13st State of Play, a bird leads viewers through crowded streets and over cliffs, and the game is set in Japan in 1863. The exposed trailer also provides hints and some information about the game's story. Although the protagonist is narrated in the trailer, the character's name is not revealed. The short gameplay footage shows swordplay battles and gliders flying through the air and through the open world, similar to the Gliders of Breath of the Wild. The trailer ends with an action-killing montage with swords, grappling hooks, and guns.
While the game may look like it's in the early stages of development given Team Ninja's current workload, Yasuda says the game has been in development for seven years. The trailer also reveals the release date, sometime in 2024. In addition, the game will be exclusive to the PS5 console. It remains to be seen whether the game will be exclusive for a limited time or will eventually be released on other platforms, such as Master, which will be released on the Nintendo Switch later this year.
Rise of Ronin is setting itself up to join the ranks of similar games on the PlayStation that focus on swordplay combat and open worlds, such as the beloved and acclaimed Ghost of Tsushima. The recently announced Assassin's Creed: Red will also be set in Japan, so Japan is becoming a popular setting for PlayStation games. While The Rise of Ronin is certainly more modern in setting than games like Soul of Tsushima, there certainly seems to be some similarities between the two games. Still, the game has a long way to go, and there could be a lot of changes between now and release, so it will take a while for players to get a feel for what it's like to step into ronin's world and duties.
Rise of the Ronin will be released on PS5 in 2024.