Nioh 3
仁王3
An action RPG developed by Koei Tecmo's Team NINJA, released on 6 February 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Windows. The third mainline entry following Nioh and Nioh 2, it introduces a time-spanning adventure and a new dual combat system — the traditional Samurai style and a new Ninja style.
Description
Overview
Nioh 3 is a dark-fantasy action RPG developed by Koei Tecmo's Team NINJA, released on 6 February 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Windows. As the third mainline entry following Nioh (2019) and Nioh 2 (2020), it introduces large, non-linear "open field" exploration spaces in place of the earlier titles' stage-based structure — the series' biggest structural change to date.
Story and Setting
The protagonist is Tokugawa Takechiyo, grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu and the future third Edo shogun, Iemitsu. Locked in a succession dispute with his rebellious brother Kunimatsu (evoking the historical Tokugawa Tadanaga), Takechiyo is drawn by a yokai attack into a fate that sends him travelling across time — through the Sengoku, Heian, Yayoi and Bakumatsu periods — encountering historical figures such as Oda Nobunaga's retainers, ninja and late-Edo loyalists along the way.
Swords and Combat
Alongside the series' signature sword-based "Samurai style," Nioh 3 introduces a new "Ninja style," letting players switch between head-on blade combat and stealth-oriented ninja tactics. Weapon types carried over from the earlier games — including odachi, dual swords and naginata — together with the "yokai transformation" system, preserve the series' core identity as a Japanese-sword-centred dark fantasy while reworking it for the new open-field structure.
Reception and Series Standing
A playable demo was released on 29 January 2026 ahead of launch, drawing strong interest from series fans. By combining a real historical framework — a Tokugawa shogunate succession dispute — with a fictional time-travel premise, Nioh 3 extends the "real historical figures × Japanese-sword action × yokai" formula established by its predecessors, further cementing the series' position as a flagship for Japanese-sword-themed action games.
Real Swords Featured
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Game信長の野望
Japan's longest-running historical simulation game series by Koei Tecmo (1983–). Players control Sengoku warlords including Oda Nobunaga in a quest for national unification. The series systematically parameterizes warriors' swords and equipment, providing one of the most comprehensive frameworks for learning about Japanese sword history, distribution, and connections to historical figures.
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Film七人の侍
Akira Kurosawa's timeless masterpiece that introduced the world to Sengoku-era warriors and swords, influencing all subsequent action cinema.
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This page is intended to introduce Japanese sword culture and is not affiliated with any of the works mentioned.