Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo revealed at Tokyo Game Show that difficult samurai action RPG Nioh 2 will launch in early 2020. There was no word on how closely the different regions will release, or if a PC version exists at all. A more in-depth look at the new trailer is up on the PlayStation blog, which touches on the yokai and other spirits steeped in Japanese lore. Team Ninja is working on balancing their all-new character creator with heavy elements of Japanese culture, and that's to say no mention of integrating the RPG elements into Nioh 2's atmosphere too. With 2020 fast approaching, we'll surely see more of Nioh 2 before long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFDnUkiZQZ0
Little information has been revealed about the story of Nioh 2 so far, other than what has been gleaned in trailers. In the Tokyo Games Show trailer above, we get a glimpse of a younger Oda Nobunaga, implying Nioh 2 will be a prequel, as the original game took place near the start of the Edo period, or after Nobunaga's rule had ended. Still, there's much we don't know about the cast of characters, and if it will blend historical and fictional characters like the first game, or just how fantastical the world will be.
Nioh 2 was revealed back during E3 2018, as a bit of a surprise announcement during an otherwise odd year for Sony. Still, the original Nioh was a smash hit for Koei Tecmo, selling 2.5 million copies in the first two years of its release. With Team Ninja looking to take a step back from the namesake Ninja Gaiden series, it's no small wonder that Nioh 2 was greenlit. With series inspiration Dark Souls on the back burner for now, as well as Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice offering a more action-adventure take on the formula, a heavy RPG focus might be what Nioh 2 needs to cement its place in gamers' minds. We'll get a chance to see Team Ninja's latest effort next year, in early 2020.
