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Nioh 3 has been announced for 2026, but PS5 owners can play an exclusive demo right now

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The demo will be available for two weeks

Nioh 3
(Image credit: Koei Tecmo)
  • Nioh 3 has been officially revealed with a 2026 launch window
  • The game is coming to PS5 and PC, but PS5 players can try out a free demo today until June 18
  • The new open-world Nioh entry will offer two playstyles, Samurai and Ninja

Koei Tecmo has officially announced Nioh 3 at PlayStation's June State of Play showcase.

Revealed alongside a story trailer, the studio confirmed that its new open-world Nioh game will be set in Japan's Sengoku period and will be released for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam in 2026.

Although the soulslike game is one year away, fans can check out the Nioh 3 Alpha Demo, which is available exclusively on PS5 until June 18. The demo offers an early look at the game, featuring an in-progress character creation system.

After players complete the demo, they can provide feedback, including thoughts on the new battle styles and open field exploration. They'll also receive a special helmet for use in Nioh 3's full game.

"In Nioh 3, fans take on the role of a young warrior poised to become the next Shogun during Japan’s turbulent Sengoku period. Players will be able to enjoy a unique open-field experience that combines the freedom of exploration with the tension and intensity of action characteristics that encompasses all Nioh titles," Koei Tecmo said.

"From fighting monstruous yokai and exploring villages where suspicious beings lurk, to tackling the daunting challenges of the Crucible, players will enjoy thrilling and hostile new environments as they fight to survive in this cursed kingdom."

Nioh 3 - Announcement Trailer - YouTube Nioh 3 - Announcement Trailer - YouTube
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The latest Nioh entry will introduce two distinct fighting styles: samurai and ninja. Samurai will offer a similar gameplay experience to previous Nioh titles, while also introducing new actions such as enhancing the power of martial arts with the 'Arts Proficiency' action, or the ability to block enemy attacks with the 'Deflect'.

The Ninja playstyle offers a faster gameplay experience, allowing players to perform aerial actions and dodges, and attack enemies outside of their range.

Ninja players will also be able to outmaneuver enemies and deliver devastating speed attacks from behind using a variety of Ninjitsu techniques, such as 'Mist', which leaves a clone after attacking, and 'Evade', which allows them to narrowly avoid enemy strikes.

There's no need to decide between just one playstyle, as Koei Tecmo has explained that the game allows players to instantaneously switch from one combat style to another during battle, or choose to continuously use only one style.

Nioh 3 is available to wishlist now on Steam. The game will also be available in Japanese and English voices with English, French. Italian, German, and Spanish subtitles.

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Demi Williams
Demi Williams

Demi is a freelance games journalist for TechRadar Gaming. She's been a games writer for five years and has written for outlets such as GameSpot, NME, and GamesRadar, covering news, features, and reviews. Outside of writing, she plays a lot of RPGs and talks far too much about Star Wars on X.

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