Nioh 3 has achieved a strong launch on PC, peaking at nearly 90,000 concurrent players on Steam. This marks more than double the record set by its predecessor, Nioh 2. The game's simultaneous release on PC and consoles has contributed to its success.
Nioh 3, the latest action-RPG from Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo, launched last Friday and quickly climbed to the top of Steam's Trending Games list. According to SteamDB, it reached an all-time peak of 88,045 concurrent players on Sunday, surpassing Nioh 2's previous high by over double and the original Nioh's by eight times. This is the first entry in the series to release simultaneously on PC and consoles, including PlayStation 5, which may explain the boosted numbers.
On PS5, the game holds a 4.48-star rating in the PlayStation Store, reflecting solid reception. Steam reviews are very positive, and the title scores 86 on Metacritic, with critics praising its refinements. Eurogamer's review called it "a historical high for Team Ninja," with writer Dom Peppiat noting: "Innovation is the ki to success for Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo, as Nioh 3 iterates on the formula once more to take an already great 'masocore' series to new heights."
The game builds on the Soulslike formula with top-notch action and open-world elements, as highlighted in early impressions. A free demo allows players to experience the prologue, including a boss fight against Yamagata Masakage, helping newcomers gauge the challenge. For more insights, Eurogamer's interview with general producer Yosuke Hayashi discusses the team's approach to difficulty.
This launch success underscores growing interest in Team Ninja's challenging titles, potentially setting new benchmarks for the series.
