Masaki Fujita, game director for Nioh 3, has stated that Team Ninja has never considered adding difficulty settings to the series. This stance underscores the developer's commitment to a unified sense of achievement in overcoming challenges. The game launches on February 6, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and PC.
Team Ninja, known for its challenging action games, continues its tradition with Nioh 3 without introducing adjustable difficulty options. In an interview published on February 5, 2026, game director Masaki Fujita explained the reasoning behind this decision. "We've never considered adding difficulty settings to the Nioh series," Fujita said. He emphasized that "the value of clearing the game is something that is unifying," and noted that Nioh 3 offers even more strategic variations for players compared to previous entries.
This approach aligns with the studio's earlier philosophy, described by general producer Yosuke Hayashi in a 2020 interview as 'masocore'—a blend of masochistic challenge and hardcore gameplay. Hayashi had shared that while inspired by Dark Souls, Team Ninja's focus was on capturing the tension of samurai games rather than strictly emulating the Soulslike genre. "We weren't trying to make a game in this genre to begin with, but when we played the original Dark Souls, we were really inspired," Hayashi recalled.
Fujita echoed sentiments from FromSoftware's Hidetaka Miyazaki, who has argued that success in such games comes from adaptation rather than innate skill. Nioh 3 expands player tools, including magic, ninjutsu, summons, and Guardian Spirit skills, making them more accessible to help overcome obstacles. "The enjoyment and sense of accomplishment of being able to figure out on your own how to overcome a situation is what we see as one of the best parts of this series," Fujita concluded.
The game's design encourages experimentation, with features like side missions and level scaling allowing players to progress and return stronger to tough encounters. Nioh 3 builds on Team Ninja's recent projects, including Rise of the Ronin, a new Ninja Gaiden, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, and Final Fantasy: Stranger of Paradise.
