With so many excellent games having been released so far in 2026, it's not surprising that some may have forgotten publisher Koei Tecmo and developer Team NINJA released the excellent Nioh 3 this year on PC and PlayStation 5. Although the new mechanics made the main character so powerful it invalidates the strength of the vast majority of enemies, requiring additional free content to up the game's challenge level, the game's open-area approach worked great, creating the most compelling experience of the entire franchise.
The decision to go bigger on open-area design and combat gameplay seems to be paying off quite a bit for the future of the game as well, as the Hell Rising DLC expansion launching on August 19 doubles down on everything Nioh 3 did well, allowing the developer not only to push the open-area world design further, but also adding what are looking like some of the most exciting tools in the Nioh series weapon arsenal to date.
The first of the two DLC expansions planned for the game was officially revealed today with a first look trailer which provides a quick overview of the story of the new campaign and the haunting return of the Crucible. What immediately catches the eye, however, are the new weapons, starting with a throwable rotating blade which will likely be a Ninja Style exclusive weapon, a spear and shield, and the same gun we have seen in the base game used by Takasugi Shinsaku, which more than a few players have requested to be added to the player's arsenal.
While all of the additions look incredibly interesting, I predict the spear and shield will be the most significant. Although previous Nioh expansions always added some great weapons such as the Tonfa in the first Nioh and the Fists in Nioh 2, almost all of them were geared for the hyper-aggressive playstyle that works best in the series. As such, having a shield is set to shake up combat significantly, possibly leading to a more reactive, counter-based playstyle that would expand the game's already excellent gameplay.
Looking at the new weapons, and the little tease of a new open area at the end, it's clear how Team NINJA's opting to go for 2 DLC expansions instead of the traditional 3 was the right call. With more of what makes Nioh 3 great, and the additional difficulty modes that will push the base game content further, the third entry in the series is set to become even more the best game ever created by the Japanese developer.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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