Tuesday, 28 July 2026
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Nioh 3 DLC 1 'Keian Jigoku-Hen' Launches August 19

The DLC arrives earlier than the originally planned end-of-September window, and its new infinite-scroll endgame mode signals Koei Tecmo's push to extend Nioh 3's replayability beyond the main story's open-field structure.

Key Facts

  • The first Nioh 3 DLC, 'Keian Jigoku-hen,' releases on August 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Steam.
  • The DLC is priced at 2,750 yen individually; a season pass covering both DLCs costs 5,500 yen.
  • New weapon types Hokotate (Samurai) and Shinobi Hokotate (Ninja) combine a shield and halberd for offensive-defensive combat.
  • The 'Hyakkyō Hyakkai Emaki' system generates battles with hundreds of millions of variations and supports online multiplayer.
  • A third-playthrough high-difficulty mode, 'Journey of Enlightenment,' adds enemies with the 'Ichinan' buff that guarantee divine item drops.

Reporting from 4 sources: 4Gamer.net, Denfaminicogamer, Automaton, Game Spark.

Nioh 3 DLC 1 'Keian Jigoku-Hen' Launches August 19

Koei Tecmo Games announced on July 28 that the first downloadable content for Nioh 3, titled 'Keian Jigoku-hen' (Keian Hell Chapter), will be released on August 19 for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam. The DLC is priced at 2,750 yen individually, or as part of a 5,500 yen season pass that also includes the second DLC, 'Amakusa Dairan.' Set in a future Edo during the Keian era (1651), the story follows protagonist Tokugawa Takechiyo as he is guided across time to a hellish version of the city after his own death. There, he fights alongside the one-eyed swordsman Yagyū Jūbei and the Spanish envoy Rodrigo against a new conspiracy involving spirit stones. New weapon types, the Hokotate (shield-spear) for Samurai style and Shinobi Hokotate for Ninja style, offer offensive-defensive combat including shield throws. A new high-difficulty mode, 'Journey of Enlightenment' (Satori no Tabiji), unlocks after clearing the second playthrough. The DLC also adds the 'Hyakkyō Hyakkai Emaki' equipment system, which generates battles with hundreds of millions of variations and supports online multiplayer. A first-look video was released alongside the announcement.

The DLC's story begins with the protagonist Takechiyo, now shogun, encountering a strange yokai in a dream and being guided across time to a future Edo after his own death. The setting is the Keian era of 1651, where the once-peaceful castle town has become a desolate battlefield filled with yokai, rebel forces, and foreign alchemists.

New guardian spirits, techniques, skills, ninjutsu, and onmyo magic appear alongside the weapon types. The Hokotate and Shinobi Hokotate allow for defensive thrusting with a shield-spear and mid-range shield throws, and outfits with foreign designs used by Spanish alchemists also appear.

The "Hyakkyō Hyakkai Emaki" equipment system generates battles with hundreds of millions of variations based on enemy, stage, and special rule combinations. Even after unlocking a scroll as equipment, each victory allows replacing one of its special abilities. The mode supports online multiplayer for up to three players.

The "Journey of Enlightenment" difficulty mode unlocks after clearing the second playthrough, "Journey of the Shogun." In this mode, some enemies are randomly granted the "Ichinan" enhancement buff, greatly increasing their abilities but guaranteeing a drop of divine items upon defeat. Higher-tier graces of divine items and random powerful special effects with high effect values are also added.

A season pass bonus accessory item, "Chichiko no Netsuke," is included with the 5,500 yen season pass. The second DLC, "Amakusa Dairan," is scheduled by the end of February 2027. A 36% off sale for the standard edition and 23% off for the Digital Deluxe Edition is ongoing on Steam until August 11, and on the PlayStation Store until August 12.

Synthesized by Yomimono from the 4 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.

Nioh 3 Koei Tecmo Games Yagyū Jūbei

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