Fans are unhappy with the limited role of series protagonist Ryu Hayabusa in Xbox Game Studios, Team Ninja, and PlatinumGames’ upcoming action-adventure game, Ninja Gaiden 4.
In the days leading up to the official release of the latest entry in the Ninja Gaiden series on October 21, 2025, physical copies have leaked ahead of schedule. As a result, some major story and gameplay details have emerged. One revelation that has disappointed fans is that legendary series protagonist Ryu Hayabusa is only playable for a small fraction of Ninja Gaiden 4. Those looking to avoid spoilers of any kind are advised to read no further.
According to compiled information shared in a ResetEra thread by member Atom, Ryu is only playable in five chapters, roughly 20% of the campaign, and some of those are limited to boss fights. The thread quickly filled with sentiments of disappointment and anger. “Yeah I’m not playing this bullsh*t,” said a member. Another called out developer Platinum Games out on its perceived obsession with the trend of replacing the protagonist with a younger and unlikable person, while sidelining the actual main character. “Why did they bring Ninja Gaiden back only to have you NOT play as Ryu? I’m not against new characters but it is a weird choice,” said one more member.
Ryu reportedly only wields his iconic Dragon Sword in these sections, while new protagonist Yakumo has access to five weapons and eventually gains Ryu’s full moveset, plus more. This effectively makes Yakumo a strictly more capable version of Ryu by the endgame, which fans consider disrespectful to a character that defined the series’ legacy. While the game does allow players to use Ryu in post-game modes like Ninja Trials and Chapter Challenge, fans feel this doesn’t make up for his limited role in the story campaign.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is set for release for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC.
