Nioh 3 is a six-month timed PlayStation console exclusive — could an Xbox release happen?

Nioh 3 is the next entry in Team Ninja’s soulslike action RPG series, drawing heavily on Japanese history and mythology.

The game is set to release on PlayStation 5 and PC on February 6, 2026, which will disappoint many Xbox fans hoping for a broader console rollout.

However, eagle-eyed viewers spotted a small but notable detail at the end of the game’s latest trailer. The fine print states that Nioh 3 is a six-month timed console exclusive, a phrase that naturally raises questions about what could happen next.

That wording is enough to spark curiosity, but it is not a confirmation of anything beyond the initial release window. Given the series’ history, fans may want to keep expectations in check for now.

Does timed exclusivity actually matter for Nioh 3

Nioh 3 - Features Trailer | PS5 Games - YouTube

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As many fans will be quick to point out, no Nioh game has ever released on Xbox. When Team Ninja was asked about the possibility of an Xbox port back in 2022, it said there was “currently not really too much of a possibility of having Nioh on Xbox platforms.”

That comment is now a few years old, and circumstances can change. Team Ninja has since worked more closely with Xbox, including Ninja Gaiden 4 launching on the platform and being published by Xbox itself.

Even so, the lack of any existing Nioh titles on Xbox complicates the conversation. Without the earlier entries available, it remains unclear how or if Nioh 3 could realistically arrive on the platform, especially as a standalone release.

That isn’t to say we can’t potentially see the arrival of past Nioh titles on Xbox, as Team Ninja might see it as a platform to make some extra bucks on and whilst a 6-month timed exclusive windows doesn’t directly confirm an Xbox release, and rather just ends Sony’s exclusivity window for the game.

There’s also the chance the game or other games in the series could just be heading to the Nintendo Switch 2, a much more capable console than its predecessor with an actively growing install base compared to Xbox’s dwindling numbers.

Do you think Nioh 3’s timed exclusivity could eventually open the door to an Xbox release, or will the series remain tied to PlayStation and PC? Let us know in the comments and make sure to take part in our poll below:

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