Ninja Gaiden 4 revealed... from PlatinumGames?!

Also, Doom: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, and more

Our top pick of the week: Xbox Developer Direct On Thursday, Microsoft released its first Xbox Developer Direct of 2025, giving deeper looks at single-player shooter Doom: The Dark Ages, gothic adventure South of Midnight, and turn-based RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — as well as announcing a remake of Xbox 360 action game Ninja Gaiden 2 and revealing Ninja Gaiden 4.   Following last week's Switch 2 reveal and the announcement overload that was The Game Awards 2024, Xbox's presentation felt a bit less earth-shattering, but the Ninja Gaiden news stood out on a few levels.   For one, it's the return of a once-iconic Xbox series that has fallen off in recent years. On the original Xbox, Ninja Gaiden was a marquee action game that stood toe-to-toe with — and some would say surpassed — the best in the industry. But that was 20 years ago, and in the decades since, the franchise has struggled to stand out in the way it once did. Could this be its chance to return to those glory days? It's hard to say, but the debut trailer makes for a nice start.   Another key part of the news was the announcement that the game will be a collaboration between Ninja Gaiden rights holder Koei Tecmo and Bayonetta developer PlatinumGames. Platinum has made its name with third-person action games, yet the studio has gone through a number of changes in recent years, with directional shifts and key staff leaving. Will Ninja Gaiden 4 prove Platinum keeps its luster forever despite those changes?   We'll find out later this year.  Everything announced at Microsoft's January Xbox Developer Direct Ninja Gaiden 4 announced at Xbox Developer Direct Doom: The Dark Ages ditches Doom Eternal's acrobatics for raw, heavy power Polygon's Shopkeeper is a weekly newsletter that collects the best deals on games, gaming accessories, Blu-rays, books, and other fine wares. Subscribe here. 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