So, Sony managed to snag Nioh 3 as a PlayStation 5 (PS5) exclusivity. Well, timed-exclusivity, and only for consoles, as a new video dropped by the Japanese giant has revealed that the third outing of the samurai-based soulslike title will only come out the main competing platform six months after its release.
For the record, Nioh 3 is set for a February 6th, 2026 release date for PC (Steam) and PS5. It is worth noting that a demo has been backed up by publisher Koei Tecmo, and any progress made on it will carry over to the full game.
After the aforementioned date, an Xbox Series S|X release is inbound, although the publisher gave no specific deadline for that to happen: it’s any day starting from August 7th onwards, then.
Nioh 3 details and plot
Being one of the most anticipated titles of 2026, Nioh 3 follows the anthology route (meaning a story that’s singular to this edition and requires no previous knowledge of the preceding games).
Set in 1622, the game puts you in the shoes of Tokugawa Takechiyo (Tokugawa Ieyasu’s grandchild), who’s about to be appointed as the next shogun. His brother, Tokugawa Kunimatsu, does not like this, and allows himself to fall into darkness out of jealously.
Using his newfound evil powers, Kunimatsu leads a horde of monsters (youkai) in an assault on Edo Castle, in the hopes of taking over it and taking out Takechiyo. However, our intrepid protagonist has the blessing of the guardian spirit known as Kusanagi, and will be able to travel through time to save Japan in several eras.
According to the official synopsis, Takechiyo will not only venture through his own Edo period, but also travel through eras like Sengoku, Heian (hello, Jujutsu Kaisen lovers!) and Bakumatsu, while also encountering gaming versions of real life historical figures from each, like Himiko, Saito Fuku, Hattori Hanzo, Honda Tadakatsu, Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Yagyu Munenori and Takasugi Shinsaku. Takechiyo will also come into conflict with individuals such as Takeda Shingen, Minamoto no Yoritomo, Okita Sōji and Tokugawa Yoshinobu.
As for gameplay, Nioh 3 brings the well-known samurai fighting style that users from the previous two games have already mastered, which is composed of strong, hard and precise strikes with a lot of impact.
Meanwhile, the all new Ninja style brings faster, quick-on-the-feet attacks that focus on lesser damage but sheer volume. This one also excels in evading and countering as well as ranged and aerial combat. You’ll be able to switch both styles back and forth.
The idea is to force players into thinking strategically, employing the right combat style for the right enemy.
Not something completely unheard of, but still, this should bring a nice change of pace when compared to Nioh and Nioh 2’s more stationary, heavy-swing based fights.
Like we said, this will be an anthology story, so you don’t really need the previous games to understand the new one. However, if you’re anything like us, you’ll likely want to get those for collection purposes.
Amazon’s got you covered: not only they have the new game available for preorder, but they also have individual listings for the previous two as well as the Collection Edition that puts them together:
