The announcement follows up on recent speculation that Nintendo of America had dropped the game from its release schedule. Devil’s Third‘s eShop listing had disappeared in weeks prior, and the game was not present at this year’s E3, despite its impending launch.
Helmed by Dead or Alive series creator Tomonobu Itagaki, Devil’s Third is a hack-and-slash action game that recalls Koei Tecmo’s Ninja Gaiden franchise. Itagaki previously directed the 2004 reboot of Ninja Gaiden, and led development of several sequels and remakes that followed.
After leaving Koei Tecmo, Itagaki founded Valhalla Game Studios, a development house staffed by former members of Ninja Gaiden series developer Team Ninja. Devil’s Third is the studio’s first project.
Devil’s Third has suffered numerous delays and setbacks since its initial announcement. Initially pitched as a multiplatform project for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Devil’s Third was left to an uncertain fate after publisher THQ dropped its release plans in 2012. Nintendo announced last year that it had acquired the rights to publish the game worldwide for the Wii U.
“Devil’s Third delivers a unique combination of shooting and melee combat to provide Wii U owners with a fresh action-oriented experience,” said Itagaki. “We’ve been working hard on the game and can’t wait for fans to get their hands on it later this year.”
Nintendo’s press release additionally revealed that a “free-to-start” PC version of Devil’s Third is in the works. Valhalla Game Studios will self-publish the PC edition of Devil’s Third, which will focus exclusively on the game’s online multiplayer component. The Wii U version of Devil’s Third will include both a single-player campaign and a multiplayer mode.
North American release dates for the PC and Wii U versions of Devil’s Third were not announced. Devil’s Third will launch for the Wii U in Japan on August 4, and a European release will follow on August 28.
