Team Ninja

Team Ninja (Japanese: チームニンジャ) (stylised as Team NINJA) is a Japanese video game developer and a division of Koei Tecmo, founded in 1995 as a part of Tecmo. It was formerly led by Tomonobu Itagaki, later by Yosuke Hayashi, and is best known for the Ninja Gaiden action-adventure game series and the Dead or Alive fighting game series.

Not to be confused with Ninja Theory.
Team Ninja
Native name
チームニンジャ
Division
IndustryVideo games
FoundedJanuary 1, 1995 (1995-01-01)
FounderTomonobu Itagaki
Headquarters
Shinjuku, Tokyo
,
Japan
Key people
Yosuke Hayashi (president)
ProductsDead or Alive series
Ninja Gaiden series
Nioh series
ParentTecmo (1995–2009)
Koei Tecmo (2009–present)
Websiteteamninja-studio.com/ 

History

Team Ninja was formed by Tomonobu Itagaki from a group of game designers working at Tecmo specifically for the purpose of creating the home versions of the fighting game Dead or Alive and its sequel, Dead or Alive 2.[1] In 2008, the action-adventure game Ninja Gaiden II for the Xbox 360 was published by Microsoft Game Studios, making it the first game created by Team Ninja to not be published by Tecmo; Tecmo Koei later released an enhanced version of Ninja Gaiden II on the PlayStation 3 as Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2.

On June 3, 2008, Itagaki announced that he would be leaving Tecmo and Team Ninja on July 1, 2008, citing difficulties with the company. In the same statement announcing his resignation, he also announced that he was filing a lawsuit against Tecmo over unpaid bonuses for his work on Dead or Alive 4 for the Xbox 360. It was later reported that he was fired from Tecmo on June 18, 2008 in retaliation for his lawsuit.[2] Many of his colleagues at Team Ninja quit as well to join him at his new game development team, Valhalla Game Studios. Some ex-Team Ninja members also helped with Ubisoft's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up.[3]

Team Ninja also worked on multiple titles for Nintendo. In 2010, Team Ninja co-developed a new Metroid action-adventure game for Nintendo's Wii console, titled Metroid: Other M (a playable Stage from Other M later appeared in Dead or Alive: Dimensions). They collaborated with Omega Force for Hyrule Warriors, an action game set in The Legend of Zelda universe, in 2014.

In 2013, following a reconstructing of Koei Tecmo, Team Ninja was split into two distinct development teams. They are dubbed Ichigaya Development Group 1 (led by Ninja Gaiden Sigma director Yosuke Hayashi) and Ichigaya Development Group 2 (led by Fatal Frame producer Keisuke Kikuchi).[4]

In 2016, Team Ninja garnered public attention after their decision to not release Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 in North America or Europe, resulting in a controversy within the video game industry about the sexualised portrayal of female characters within their games.[5][6][7] Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Shuhei Yoshida said in a statement; "It's due to cultural differences. The West has its own thinking about how to depict women in games media which is different from Japan."[8]

In 2017, Team Ninja released their new action-adventure game Nioh, which has received multiple revisions and has been in development since 2004, to great critical response.[9][10] They released Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order for the Nintendo Switch in 2019 as well as Dead or Alive 6. Team Ninja released the prequel to Nioh, Nioh 2, in March of 2020.

Games
TitleRelease yearGenrePlatform(s)Notes
Dead or Alive1996Fighting gameArcade, Sega Saturn, PlayStation
Dead or Alive 21999Fighting gameArcade, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2
Dead or Alive 32001Fighting gameXbox
Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball2003Sports, PartyXbox
Ninja Gaiden2004Action-adventure, hack and slashXbox, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita
Dead or Alive Ultimate2004Fighting gameXboxRemake of Dead or Alive and Dead or Alive 2.
Dead or Alive 42005Fighting gameXbox 360
Dead or Alive Xtreme 22006Sports, partyXbox 360
Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword2008Action-adventure, hack and slashNintendo DS
Ninja Gaiden II2008Action-adventure, hack and slashXbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation VitaPublished by Microsoft Game Studios on Xbox 360.
Metroid: Other M2010Action-adventure, metroidvaniaNintendo WiiCo-developed with Nintendo SPD, published by Nintendo.
Dead or Alive: Dimensions2011Fighting gameNintendo 3DSPublished by Nintendo in PAL regions.
Ninja Gaiden 32012Action-adventure, hack and slashPlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii UPublished by Nintendo on Wii U.
Dead or Alive 52012Fighting gamePlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Dead or Alive 5 Plus2013Fighting gamePlayStation VitaHandheld version of Dead or Alive 5
Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate2013Fighting gamePlayStation 3, Xbox 360Enhanced version of Dead or Alive 5, featuring additional characters and stages.
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z2014Action-adventure, hack and slashPlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft WindowsCo-developed with Spark Unlimited and Comcept.
Hyrule Warriors2014Action, hack and slashWii U, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo SwitchCo-developed with Omega Force
Dead or Alive 5 Last Round2015Fighting gameMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox OneEnhanced version of Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate, featuring additional characters and stages.
Dissidia Final Fantasy NT2015Fighting gameArcade, PlayStation 4Published by Square Enix.
Dead or Alive Xtreme 32016Sports, partyPlayStation 4, PlayStation VitaOnly released in Asia.
Nioh2017Action role-playingPlayStation 4, Microsoft WindowsOriginally based on a script by Akira Kurosawa; PS4 version published by Sony Interactive Entertainment outside of Japan.
Dead or Alive Xtreme Venus Vacation2017Sports, partyMicrosoft Windows, macOSSteam version only released in specific Asia regions. DMM GAMES version only released in Japan.
Dissidia Final Fantasy: Opera Omnia2017Role-playingAndroid, iOSPublished by Square Enix.
Fire Emblem Warriors2017Action, hack and slashNintendo Switch, New Nintendo 3DSCo-developed with Omega Force.
Dead or Alive 62019Fighting gamePlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Scarlet2019Sports, partyPlayStation 4, Nintendo SwitchOnly released in Asia.
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order2019ActionNintendo SwitchPublished by Nintendo.
Nioh 22020Action role-playingPlayStation 4Published by Sony Interactive Entertainment outside of Japan

Future

Cancelled games
  • Dead or Alive: Code Chronos - A prequel to the Dead or Alive series, which was going to focus on the backstory of Kasumi and Ayane, and reportedly was not going to be a fighting game. It was cancelled in November 2010.
  • Ninja Gaiden 3DS - A Nintendo 3DS project announced by Team Ninja in 2011.[11] It was quietly cancelled at a later date.[12]

References
  1. Icons: Dead or Alive.
  2. Ashcroft, Brian (2008-06-23). "Itagaki Didn't Leave Tecmo, He Was Fired". Kotaku. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
  3. "Hands On: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up" (News). The Escapist.
  4. "Team Ninja splits into two groups following Tecmo Koei|restructuring" (News). Polygon.
  5. Rob, Crossley (November 25, 2015). "Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Won't Ship Worldwide Due to Sexism Backlash Fears". GameSpot. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
  6. davidjenkins2012 (25 November 2015). "Dead Or Alive Xtreme 3 cancelled in West because of sexism - Metro News". Metro.
  7. "Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Won't Ship Worldwide Due to Sexism Backlash Fears [UPDATE]". GameSpot.
  8. "Dead Or Alive Xtreme 3 Not Coming West Due to Cultural Differences, Says Sony Boss - Niche Gamer". Niche Gamer.
  9. Corriea, Alexa Ray (16 September 2016). "How Nioh Evolved from a JRPG to an Action Game". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 8 November 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  10. Matulef, Jeffrey (30 September 2016). "Nioh director Fumihiko Yasuda on difficulty, player feedback and what's changing". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 7 October 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  11. Spencer (11 July 2011). "What's Next For Team Ninja? The Short Answer Is Ni-Oh". Siliconera. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  12. "Ninja Gaiden 3DS". IGN. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
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