Team Ninja
Team Ninja is a Yokohama-based internal studio of Koei Tecmo that develops and publishes high-difficulty action video games — including the Nioh, Ninja Gaiden, Wo Long, Rise of the Ronin, and Dead or Alive franchises — across PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo platforms, selling to global consumers via one-time licenses, DLC, and subscription channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersTokio, Japan
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Team Ninja does
Team Ninja is an internal development studio of Koei Tecmo (Tokyo Stock Exchange: 9654), headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, specializing in high-difficulty action video games. The studio's portfolio spans the Ninja Gaiden series (cumulative 6.8 million units sold), the Nioh action-RPG franchise (with Nioh 3 surpassing 1 million units shortly after its February 2026 launch to become the fastest-selling entry in the series), Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty (1 million shipments, 3.8 million players), Rise of the Ronin, and Dead or Alive. Core technology centers on proprietary combat systems — including style-switching between Samurai and Ninja disciplines (Nioh 3), Qi-based deflection and Five Elements magic (Wo Long), yokai transformation mechanics, and precision-based swordplay (Ninja Gaiden).
The studio operates a multi-platform distribution model across PlayStation (including a six-month PS5 exclusive for Nioh 3), Xbox (with day-one Xbox Game Pass availability for Ninja Gaiden 4 and Wo Long 2), PC (Steam, Microsoft Store, Epic Games Store), and Nintendo platforms including Switch 2. Revenue is generated through one-time game licenses (standard and Digital Deluxe editions with artbooks and soundtracks), paid DLC expansions and Season Pass bundles, subscription licensing via Xbox Game Pass, and limited physical retail releases. Games are localized across 35+ countries in Asia, North America, and Europe, with Koei Tecmo handling global publishing and distribution.
Team Ninja's go-to-market combines product-led growth (free demo releases ahead of major launches, e.g., Nioh 3 demo on January 29, 2026), event-driven announcements (Xbox Games Showcase, helicopter stunt over Miami for Ninja Gaiden 4), and channel partnerships with Microsoft and Sony. The studio supplements franchise revenue with mutual cross-IP collaborations (Lies of P, Naraka: Bladepoint) and fashion-brand merchandise tie-ins (EDWIN, WEAVISM), and has an active pipeline including the upcoming Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember targeted for 2027 across all major platforms.
Team Ninja firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Team Ninja
- Legal name
- KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.
- Website
- https://teamninja-studio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Team Ninja is a Yokohama-based internal studio of Koei Tecmo that develops and publishes high-difficulty action video games — including the Nioh, Ninja Gaiden, Wo Long, Rise of the Ronin, and Dead or Alive franchises — across PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo platforms, selling to global consumers via one-time licenses, DLC, and subscription channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Team Ninja industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Action Video Games
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132), Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930)
- SIC
- Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Narrative/Adventure & RPG Game Studios (MPAFAAAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Co-Development, Porting & Remaster Studios (MPAFAAAM)
Keywords
Where Team Ninja is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokio
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Team Ninja business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Full Game Sales: Team Ninja generates primary revenue through one-time purchases of full game titles across multiple platforms (PS5, PS4, Xbox, PC, Nintendo Switch). Games are sold at standard retail prices with premium Deluxe/Digital Deluxe editions including additional digital content.
- DLC and Season Pass Content: Post-launch downloadable content including new scenarios, weapons, characters, difficulty levels, and game modes. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty released three major DLC packs (逐鹿中原, 稱霸江東, 風起荊襄) plus a Season Pass bundle.
- Digital Deluxe Editions: Premium digital editions of games include digital artbooks, soundtracks, and sometimes early purchase bonuses at higher price points than standard editions.
- Game Pass / Subscription Revenue: Games like Ninja Gaiden 4 and Wo Long are available day-one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, generating revenue through Microsoft's subscription licensing model.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | NINJA GAIDEN: Master Collection Standard Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | NINJA GAIDEN: Master Collection Deluxe Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Ninja Gaiden 4 The Two Masters DLC |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Nioh 3 Season Pass |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Team Ninja product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Team Ninja develops and publishes action-oriented video games under Koei Tecmo, including the Nioh, Ninja Gaiden, Wo Long, Dead or Alive, and Rise of the Ronin franchises. The studio sells full game titles (standard and Digital Deluxe editions), DLC expansions, and Season Pass content across PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch, with day-one availability on subscription services such as Xbox Game Pass.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Team NINJA: The internal development studio of Koei Tecmo known for action games including Ninja Gaiden, Nioh, Dead or Alive, and Wo Long series.
Products and services
- Nioh 3 Action RPG sequel to the Nioh series, offering dual Samurai and Ninja combat styles with deep loot-driven character builds. Released on PS5 and PC for action-RPG enthusiasts seeking skill-based combat and historical Japanese settings.
- Ninja Gaiden 4 High-speed ninja action game co-developed with PlatinumGames, featuring dual protagonists Yakumo and Ryu Hayabusa. Available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PS5 for action game players, with day-one Xbox Game Pass availability.
- Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Dark fantasy action RPG set in China's Three Kingdoms era with a Qi-based deflect combat system and Five Elements magic. Released across PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and later Nintendo Switch 2 for soulslike action-RPG players.
- Rise of the Ronin Combat-focused open-world action RPG set in Japan's Bakumatsu period (1863). Released on PS5 and later Steam for players seeking historical Japanese open-world action RPG experiences with branching narratives.
- NINJA GAIDEN: Master Collection Remastered collection bundling three NINJA GAIDEN titles (Sigma, Sigma 2, and 3: Razor's Edge) with most previously released DLC. Available on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam) for fans of high-speed ninja action.
- Dead or Alive 6 Last Round Re-release of the Dead or Alive 6 fighting game bundling all previous DLC content with a new photo mode for fighting-game players.
- Nioh 2 - The Complete Edition Complete Edition of Nioh 2 bundling the base dark Warring States-era action RPG with its three DLC expansions. Available on PC and PlayStation 4 for action-RPG players.
- Nioh: Complete Edition Complete Edition of the original Nioh action RPG bundling the base 16th-century Sengoku Japan title with its DLC trilogy. Available on PC and PlayStation 4 for action-RPG players.
- Dead or Alive 6 Fighting game in the Dead or Alive franchise featuring the Triangle System and a diverse character roster for fighting game players.
- Ninja Gaiden 4: The Two Masters DLC Paid story-driven DLC expansion for Ninja Gaiden 4 with three new chapters, new weapons for both protagonists, and a 100-wave Abyssal Road endurance mode.
- Nioh 3 Season Pass Multi-expansion Season Pass for Nioh 3 covering two paid expansions (Hell Rising in September 2026 and a second expansion in February 2027), sold as a subscription/bundle for existing Nioh 3 owners.
- Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember Announced sequel to Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, continuing the Three Kingdoms-era soulslike action RPG series. Planned for release across Xbox, PC (Steam), Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nioh 3 became fastest-selling entry in the Nioh series with 1 million+ units shortly after launch
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Team Ninja
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Team Ninja technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Team Ninja partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Microsoft XboxcoreMicrosoft Xbox serves as distribution platform partner for Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember with day-one Xbox Game Pass availability. Game announced at Xbox Games Showcase 2026 with availability across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and PC via Xbox app.
- Nioh 2 (Team Ninja)minorNioh 2 collaboration equipment was added to Wo Long as part of DLC3 update, continuing the cross-franchise collaboration theme with Team Ninja's established IPs.
- Nioh 2 (Team Ninja)minorCross-franchise collaboration where Wo Long received a Nioh 2 collaboration sub-mission '斬妖逢魔時' (Battle Against Demons). Players who complete the mission receive the unique '善擦帽子' (Zanzou hat) equipment as reward.
- Lies of P (Neowiz Games)coreMutual bidirectional collaboration between Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and Lies of P. Wo Long received two free collaboration weapons ('人偶軍刀' puppet saber and '禮儀' sword) while Lies of P received Wo Long-themed equipment. Collaboration weapons were developed by Lies of P team and added to Wo Long via free update.
- Ninja Gaiden: Master CollectionminorNioh 2 Complete Edition on Steam includes exclusive collaboration bonus - Ryu Hayabusa (龍隼) skin for players. This cross-promotion between Team Ninja franchises drives visibility for both products.
- Naraka: Bladepoint (NetEase)minorCollaboration between Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and Naraka: Bladepoint. Free collaboration equipment sets were added to Wo Long via update, featuring themed cosmetics inspired by both games.
- WEAVISM 織本主義minorCollaboration with Taiwanese functional fashion brand WEAVISM. Created limited edition apparel featuring Lu Bu (呂布) inspired designs included in Asian exclusive collector's edition of Wo Long. Additional items available through promotional giveaways.
- EDWINminorCollaboration with Japanese clothing brand EDWIN for merchandise. Team Ninja participated in creating apparel items that showcase the game's world aesthetic. Limited edition merchandise was available as purchase bonuses or separate sales.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Team Ninja competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Team Ninja social profiles
Digital presenceTeam Ninja financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Team Ninja leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Team Ninja funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Team Ninja M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Team Ninja
What does Team Ninja do?
Team Ninja develops and publishes action-oriented video games under Koei Tecmo, including the Nioh, Ninja Gaiden, Wo Long, Dead or Alive, and Rise of the Ronin franchises. The studio sells full game titles (standard and Digital Deluxe editions), DLC expansions, and Season Pass content across PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch, with day-one availability on subscription services such as Xbox Game Pass.
Is Team Ninja a public or private company?
Team Ninja is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Team Ninja founded?
Team Ninja was founded in 2012.
Where is Team Ninja based?
Team Ninja is headquartered in Tokio, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Team Ninja make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Full Game Sales are the primary driver. The others are DLC and Season Pass Content, digital Deluxe Editions and game Pass / Subscription Revenue.
Does Team Ninja have an API?
No public API is recorded for Team Ninja.
What industry is Team Ninja in?
Team Ninja's product category is Action Video Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAL, Narrative/Adventure & RPG Game Studios, with a secondary code of MPAFAAAM, Co-Development, Porting & Remaster Studios. Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 3944.