Summary
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Ninja Gaiden 2 Black was revealed and teased during Thursday's Xbox Developer Direct.
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The definitive edition of the sequel is also getting a physical edition, which you can pre-order now from Play-Asia.
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The physical version of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is a PlayStation 5 exclusive.
Xbox promised there would be a big surprise during its developer direct this week. What it didn't allow was that the big surprise would have an additional bonus surprise. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, the definitive edition of the original sequel, has been revealed, and although it wasn't mentioned during the direct, there will be a physical edition of the game this March.
However, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black's physical version won't suddenly appear everywhere. It's a Play-Asia exclusive, and if you like the idea of having a copy of the Shadowdrocked game that you can hold in your hands, pre-orders have already started. It's $49.99so the same price as the digital edition, and will be released on March 27, 2025.
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Related
Why purchasing physical media is important
Buy them 'while you have them'.
However, there is a catch. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black's physical release is not only exclusive to Play-Asia, but is also exclusive to PS5. Although it was revealed during Xbox's developer direct, the physical version of the game appears to be the Xbox Series s to skip.
Ninja Gaiden Black 2 is currently in the game pass
But its physical edition is a PS5 exclusive
We'll probably never know for sure, but it feels like there's been a compromise here between Xbox and PlayStation. Although Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is physically available on PS5, you can play it now on Xbox Game Pass if you have the Ultimate Game Pass for PC.
Team Ninja has released a definitive edition of Ninja Gaiden 2 for a few reasons. The main reason is to prepare people for Ninja Gaiden 4, which was the big surprise reveal during the developer direct. Devs also wanted to give fans of the series something new while wanting for the next game, which currently has a vague release window of fall 2025, although it looked pretty close to complete based on what was shown on Thursday.
It was also created by fan feedback on Ninja Gaiden's Master Collection. The Black Edition of the sequel brings together elements of the original and the Sigma port under one roof. It also promises to be just as brutally challenging as the original version of the game, and Team Ninja has already teased fans about the new edition coming later this year.
Xbox revealed it has a very busy year ahead via developer Direct on Thursday. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and South of Midnight both received release dates in April, and Fate: The Dark Ages will follow soon after on May 15th.

Using Unreal Engine 5 to significantly improve graphical expression, this is the definitive version of “Ninja Gaiden 2” with additional playable characters and improved Battle Support features.
- Released
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January 23, 2025