Microsoft has confirmed that Ninja Gaiden 4 will launch directly on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on October 21, giving subscribers day-one access to the latest chapter in Team Ninja’s long-running action series. The release marks the franchise’s return after more than a decade, arriving as part of a busy October lineup for the subscription service.
Set in a near-future Tokyo thrown into turmoil by the Dark Dragon, Ninja Gaiden 4 introduces a new protagonist named Yakumo while retaining series veteran Ryu Hayabusa as a playable character. The game promises the same fast-paced, punishing combat that has defined the series since its 2004 modern reboot, combining fluid melee mechanics with a darker narrative tone. Fans can expect the trademark precision and intensity that made Ninja Gaiden a benchmark for high-skill action design.
Subscribers to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass will gain access to the title at launch, while other tiers will continue to receive a rotating slate of new additions throughout the month. Microsoft’s October lineup also includes a mix of genres, ranging from RPG classics like Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Editions (available October 9) to smaller indie releases such as Ball x Pit and Keeper.
Horror game The Casting of Frank Stone and action title Evil West will also join the service mid-month.
The addition of Ninja Gaiden 4 highlights Microsoft’s ongoing strategy of using day-one releases to strengthen Game Pass Ultimate’s value proposition. At $30 per month, the top tier offers the widest catalog of titles, including simultaneous console and PC availability, along with early access to major releases such as Doom: The Dark Ages and now, Ninja Gaiden 4.
Alongside the new releases, a few games will leave the platform on October 15, including Cocoon, Core Keeper, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed, giving players a short window to finish those campaigns.
Ninja Gaiden 4’s arrival underscores how legacy franchises are being revitalized within subscription ecosystems like Game Pass, where exposure and accessibility can help sustain even the most demanding of action titles. For both veterans of the series and new players looking for a challenge, its inclusion on Game Pass ensures that the return of Team Ninja’s signature swordplay will reach a wider audience than ever before.
