"We feel this is the best game in franchise history": New Nioh 3 demo will be out with multiplayer almost as soon as 2026 hits

Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo's Soulslike RPG series is coming back for a third round of bloody fights and grotesque monsters with next year's Nioh 3, but before the game launches in full, we're being treated to a beefy demo almost as soon as the new year begins. What a treat.

Team Ninja head and Nioh 3 producer Fumihiko Yasuda revealed that a Nioh 3 demo is dropping on January 29, 2026, per the PlayStation Blog, just a week before the threequel comes out on Friday, February 6, 2026.

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"As you play through the demo, please note that the demo version's save data can be transferred to the full game," Yasuda wrote. "In addition, the demo version contains online multiplayer mode with up to three players, enabling ninjas and samurai worldwide to invite friends to experience the demo's deadly action before the game's official full version release." Early buyers will also be treated to exclusive cosmetics themed around the protagonists from Nioh and Nioh 2.

"We hope everyone enjoys the latest installment in the Nioh series," Yasuda continued. "With its deeply evolved open-field exploration and a playstyle that combines ninja and samurai elements, we feel this is the best game in franchise history and can't wait to see everyone's reactions once they finally get the chance to play."

The demo news followed an impressive, gory, fast-paced new trailer that debuted at The Game Awards 2025, and showed off how you can switch seamlessly between two combat styles, which you can see above.

Nioh is "not the kind of game that lives or dies on things like atmosphere or graphics," producer says – and we can thank fan feedback for bringing the brutal action RPG series "so far"