During the recent State of Play, Koei Tecmo’s Team Ninja announced Nioh 3, scheduled to launch on PS5 in early 2026 and on Steam. The much-awaited Nioh sequel shakes up the franchise’s formula, introducing open-field map design in favor of linear design. Team Ninja makes a point of using the term “open-field” instead of “open-world,” and in a recent interview with 4Gamer, they explain what the difference is and why they purposely avoided making a fully open-world map.
According to Nioh 3’s general producer Fumihiko Yasuda, the fundamental idea behind replacing linear progression in the game was to create “a seamlessly connected Nioh” that grants players freedom in field exploration. However, executing this was not a simple matter, as the team knew that a fully open-world map would be contradictory to the nature of the Nioh series itself, which Yasuda describes as “a dense, die-and-retry experience.”
“If we were to dilute the map’s density to capture the vastness of an open world, it would no longer be Nioh 3. If we’re making Nioh 3, the density and craftmanship of the gameplay are non-negotiable,” Yasuda comments.
As such, Team Ninja didn’t aim for scale, but rather for seamlessly interconnected fields that allow free exploration, but maintain the density Nioh is known for. This density is achieved by placing tightly-packed, challenging areas called hells throughout the map. These hells are “areas corrupted by the intense spiritual energy of yokai” that you purify by defeating the area’s boss. Clearing them is what allows you to progress, and Team Ninja describes them as “high-risk, high-reward zones,” as they come with more powerful enemies and obstacles, as well as exclusive item drops.
In this sense, Nioh 3’s producer Kohei Shibata confirms, the game loop will consist of field exploration and venturing into the challenging hells, with exploration being crucial for levelling up your character and obtaining new gear and skills. Additionally, Team Ninja confirms that Nioh 3 will not have any form of vehicle or mount for traversing the open field, but you will be able to acquire a skill that allows you to dash between places at a high speed.
Nioh 3 is scheduled to launch on PS5 in early 2026 and on PC (Steam). A free demo is out now on PS5 until June 18.
