Xbox Game Pass is about to remove one of the best franchises on the subscription service at arguably the worst time. At this point, Game Pass features hundreds of different titles across some of the biggest series to ever be released. Currently, franchises like Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, DOOM, Call of Duty, Forza, and Gears of War are represented on Xbox Game Pass and feature multiple games that subscribers can look to play. Unfortunately, one major series on Game Pass is now about to go away, and it will happen just before the launch of a new installment in the franchise.
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Say Goodbye to Ninja Gaiden Games on Game Pass
As of this week, Microsoft announced that it’s gearing up to remove three different Ninja Gaiden games on Xbox Game Pass. These departures will occur at the end of this month on September 30th and will see all three titles from the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection taken off the service. This specifically includes the remastered versions of Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge.
While it would be a shame to lose this trio of Ninja Gaiden titles at just about any point, it’s particularly saddening to see it happening before the arrival of Ninja Gaiden 4. The long-awaited fourth installment in the action-adventure series is releasing next month on October 21st and upon its launch, it too will be coming to Xbox Game Pass.
One would think that Microsoft and developer Team Ninja would want to keep the entire series on Game Pass in tandem with the release of Ninja Gaiden 4 to entice new players to jump into the franchise. Instead, those who have been interested in Ninja Gaiden from afar and have thought about jumping into the saga by way of Game Pass now have less than two weeks to play the first three entries. Luckily, this endeavor is still doable given that each game is somewhat short and only lasts between 8 and 14 hours. Still, for those who have been planning on doing a full series playthrough on Xbox Game Pass, you’ll have to get busy over these next two weeks.
There Is One Saving Grace to These Game Pass Removals
While it sucks to see that the three mainline Ninja Gaiden games are going away, there is one notable caveat. Specifically, this year’s remake of Ninja Gaiden 2, dubbed Ninja Gaiden Black 2, will remain on Game Pass for the foreseeable future. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black launched without warning back in January and was one of the biggest additions to Game Pass in the first half of 2025.
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is also a perfectly fine entry point to the Ninja Gaiden series as a whole. While some might want to start with the original game, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, those who don’t get around to playing that entry before it’s gone from Game Pass can just as easily jump in here. Given that it’s the best-looking game in the series right now, it’s also the one that will most naturally transition into Ninja Gaiden 4.
Are the Ninja Gaiden Games Worth Playing?
If you’ve read all of this and are wondering if the Ninja Gaiden games are even worth playing, the short answer is yes. These are some of the best action games of all-time and helped usher in titles like Bayonetta, God of War, and Devil May Cry. Each game also surprisingly holds up pretty well in 2025, which makes them even easier to recommend.
Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge is perhaps the caveat to this, as the third mainline entry in the series is often considered the worst. While it still features the same fast-paced action found in the first two games, it’s more repetitive and has a story that is quite boring. If you’re specifically wanting to see what Ninja Gaiden has to offer but are working against this Xbox Game Pass deadline, definitely begin with Ninja Gaiden Sigma or Ninja Gaiden Black 2.
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