Ninja Gaiden 2 Black Drops Today, Included In Xbox Game Pass

During the Xbox Developer Direct January 2025, Koei Tecmo surprised-dropped Ninja Gaiden 2 Black for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. The game is also available on Xbox Game Pass.

This is a remaster of the 2008 game and is described as the definitive way to play. “We also wanted to give players something to enjoy as they wait for the release of Ninja Gaiden 4,” said producer Fumihiko Yasuda, in an interview with Xbox. “We chose Ninja Gaiden 2 because it stands as one of the most solid action games in the series.”

The “Black” moniker is to signify that this version of Ninja Gaiden 2 is the definitive way to play the game, similar to how the first Ninja Gaiden was remastered with the two additional Hurricane content packs.

The idea to remaster the game came from fan feedback during the release of the Ninja Gaiden Master Collection in 2021. Fans wanted an experience that was closer to the original Ninja Gaiden 2, so the developers sought to remaster it in Unreal Engine 5.

“We’ve meticulously incorporated some of the additions of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 while staying true to the challenge and feel of the original 360 version, including its signature gore and violence,” Yasuda explained. “We’ve also adjusted the weapon upgrade system to more align with the original release.”

Ninja Gaiden has seen a huge resurgence as of late. At The Game Awards 2024, Koei Tecmo announced Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, a 2D platformer by the Blasphemous developers. Now, Koei Temco announced Ninja Gaiden 4, the next mainline game in the series, along with a partnership with Platinum Games. It will launch this fall for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, as well as Xbox Game Pass.