You can already play one of the biggest new PS5 games coming out next week

Nioh 3 is set to start PlayStation 5 and PC on February 6, 2026, but eager fans can already play it thanks to a lengthy demo that was just released. This is free Nioh 3 demo is available now via the PlayStation Store and Steam, with progress from the demo to carry over to the full game when it releases next week.

Debuted in 2017, Nioh is a Team Ninja-developed, Koei Tecmo-published action RPG that sees players assume the role of William Adams, a 17th century English navigator turned samurai in Sengoku period Japan. Nioh was met with very strong reviews upon its initial release in 2017, earning a top critic average of 88 on OpenCritic. Three years later, Team Ninja released Nioh 2a sequel that improved on most aspects of its predecessor. In recent years, both Nioh game has been heralded as some of the best Soulslikes available, which means Nioh 3 have some big boots to fill.

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Nioh 3 Demo is available now on PlayStation 5

Starting January 29th, anyone on PlayStation 5 can try it out Nioh 3 for themselves, with a free demo now available via the PlayStation Store. The demo includes Nioh 3The entire opening section, including a large open area and a climactic Yokai boss fight. Before engaging in any of that, however, players must first adapt Nioh 3the main character, Tokugawa Takechiyo, the grandson of the famous real-life samurai and shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. This character creator is surprisingly substantial and allows players to fully customize both the main character's Ninja and Samurai appearances.

Once suited up and ready to go, players will take on the role of Tokugawa Takechiyo as they are thrown into a large open field. About like Fire Ringplayers can explore this open field in any direction and face its many obstacles in any order they wish, which is a bit of a departure from the more linear structure of Nioh 1 and 2. They find enemy camps to clear, new items and weapons to collect, and a host of Yokai monsters that need slaying. Once players have raided and leveled up enough, they will be able to head to Hamamatsu Castle Town in the center of the map and take on the final boss of the demo. Throughout the demo, players will be able to experiment with Nioh 3s Ninja and Samurai fighting styles, a new core feature in the sequel that allows players to switch between two radically different moves.

Defeat this final boss and complete Nioh 3s demo by February 15th will reward players with the Twin-Snake helmet throughout the game. After February 15th, this helmet will only be obtainable as a rare drop from the Jakotsu-baba boss. All progress made Nioh 3s free demo will carry over to the full game, allowing players to use their already customized character and jump right back into the action next week after purchasing the full game. Nioh 3s demo also supports online multiplayer for up to three players, allowing friends to take down hordes of Yokai together.

Nioh 3s latest demo is also available now on PC via Steam, where players can experience all of the same content and earn the same rewards as PS5 players. However, it should be noted that although savings are transferred from the demo to Nioh 3s full release, that's only true if players buy Nioh 3 on the same platform they originally played the demo on. For example, someone cannot play Nioh 3 demo on PS5 and transfer their save data to the PC version of Nioh 3 at the game's launch on February 6.