{"id":18712,"date":"2026-08-24T05:50:49","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T05:50:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712"},"modified":"2026-08-24T05:50:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T05:50:49","slug":"team-ninja-answers-our-burning-questions-about-nioh-3s-first-story-expansion-hell-rising","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712","title":{"rendered":"Team Ninja Answers Our Burning Questions About Nioh 3&#039;s First Story Expansion, Hell Rising"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div property=\"schema:text\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/gameinformer.com\/review\/nioh-3\/taking-the-throne\">Nioh 3<\/a> was one of our favorite games from the early months of 2026, and the jumbo-sized adventure is getting a substantial story expansion called <a href=\"https:\/\/gameinformer.com\/2026\/07\/28\/nioh-3s-hell-rising-story-expansion-launches-next-month\">Hell Rising<\/a> this week, August 19. Hell Rising introduces a new map set in the Keian era in 1651 following the death of shogun Takechiyo, as well as new enemies, weapons, equipment, and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Following the expansion&#8217;s reveal, we had several questions about Hell Rising&#8217;s story (is protagonist Takechiyo really dead?), its overall size, and how its new systems complement the existing features. To elaborate on what Hell Rising brings to the table, we asked Team Ninja project manager Kohei Shibata, Nioh 3 game director Masaki Fujita, and level designer Atsushi Takahashi over email, who provided further details on what players can expect.\u00a0<\/p>\n<article data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"d237e8a5-6f27-40ea-9700-37cb85f62b98\" data-embed-button=\"image_browser_uploader\" data-entity-embed-display=\"image:responsive_image\" data-entity-embed-display-settings=\"{&quot;responsive_image_style&quot;:&quot;content_body&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;},&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;link_url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;link_target&quot;:0,&quot;link_original&quot;:0,&quot;image_source&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;embed_source&quot;:0,&quot;image_caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;embed_caption&quot;:0,&quot;content_warning&quot;:0}\" data-langcode=\"en\" class=\"embedded-entity\">\n<picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/gameinformer.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/body_default\/public\/2026\/08\/17\/1e754f3b\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp 1x\" media=\"all and (min-width: 851px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/gameinformer.comhttps:\/\/gameinformer.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/content_default_mobile_\/public\/2026\/08\/17\/1e754f3b\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp 1x\" media=\"all and (min-width: 315px) and (max-width: 450px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"450\" height=\"253\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/gameinformer.comhttps:\/\/gameinformer.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/content_default_mobile_\/public\/2026\/08\/17\/1e754f3b\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp 1x\" media=\"all and (max-width: 314px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"450\" height=\"253\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Team Ninja Answers Our Burning Questions About Nioh 3's First Story Expansion, Hell Rising\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/gameinformer.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/body_default\/public\/2026\/08\/17\/1e754f3b\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp\" class=\"lazyload\" typeof=\"foaf:Image\"\/><\/p>\n<p>  <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/article>\n<p><em><strong>Game Informer<\/strong><\/em><strong>: How did you feel about the reception to Nioh 3, particularly how its &#8220;open field\u201d design was received?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Kohei Shibata: <\/strong>We feel that many players have responded positively to the great synergy between Nioh and the open-field format. Crafting level designs that captured the signature tension and intensity of Nioh\u2019s combat was a major challenge during development, but we packed in a wide range of ideas, and I am genuinely happy to see that effort bear fruit.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Was Hell Rising designed to address any specific player feedback from Nioh 3\u2019s base campaign, and how does it, if so?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Masaki Fujita:<\/strong> Yes, the feedback we received for the base game of Nioh 3 has been incorporated into the DLC. For example, we\u2019ve added pistol-based combat \u2014which many players requested \u2014 as a new ninjutsu technique. On the loot-hunting front, high-value special effects will now be randomly applied to gear, allowing players to enjoy a deeper level of gear curation. In terms of the story experience, the DLC features documents such as letters and notes that can be discovered throughout the field. Reading these allows you to learn more about the characters, uncover the backstory behind events, and get a sense of the culture and customs of the people of that era.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline-rich-content-placeholder\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why did you set Hell Rising during the Keian Era? What are some key historical events or locations from the time that will be represented in-game?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Fujita:<\/strong> When it was decided that the theme would be \u201cShogun\u201d and that Takechiyo, the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu, would be the protagonist, we also broadly determined what the main story and the DLC would cover. The main story is \u201cthe story of the protagonist becoming shogun,\u201d while the DLC is \u201cthe story of what the protagonist accomplishes after becoming shogun.\u201d When we think of historical figures who actually served as shogun, we tend to think about what they did. We felt that only by addressing what the protagonist accomplished as shogun could we properly bring a story centered on the theme of the shogun to a conclusion.<\/p>\n<p>The Keian era is the period immediately following the rule of the protagonist Takechiyo as the Shogun. The incidents that occurred during that time were strongly influenced by Takechiyo\u2019s rule. In this title, he travels through time into the future, where he comes to witness both the light and darkness of his own rule. We hope players will see how that experience is ultimately put to use in the conclusion encompassing both DLC 1 and DLC 2.<\/p>\n<p>A pivotal historical event of the Keian era is the attempted rebellion led by Yui Shosetsu and his faction. While the historical plot was suppressed before the rebels could mobilize, the game depicts a scenario where they harness the power of Hell to summon yokai and launch an uprising; this results in widespread destruction across Edo and an assault on Edo Castle, the Shogun&#8217;s stronghold. Both Edo Castle and the city of Edo serve as the playable areas for this DLC.<\/p>\n<article data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"db6e0674-baa6-4b7b-bcee-a1fd2bcac109\" data-embed-button=\"image_browser_uploader\" data-entity-embed-display=\"image:responsive_image\" data-entity-embed-display-settings=\"{&quot;responsive_image_style&quot;:&quot;content_body&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;},&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;link_url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;link_target&quot;:0,&quot;link_original&quot;:0,&quot;image_source&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;embed_source&quot;:0,&quot;image_caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;embed_caption&quot;:0,&quot;content_warning&quot;:0}\" data-langcode=\"en\" class=\"embedded-entity\">\n<picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/gameinformer.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/body_default\/public\/2026\/07\/28\/14a37f2e\/nioh_3_-_hell_rising_dlc_11.jpg.webp 1x\" media=\"all and (min-width: 851px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/gameinformer.comhttps:\/\/gameinformer.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/content_default_mobile_\/public\/2026\/07\/28\/14a37f2e\/nioh_3_-_hell_rising_dlc_11.jpg.webp 1x\" media=\"all and (min-width: 315px) and (max-width: 450px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"450\" height=\"253\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/gameinformer.comhttps:\/\/gameinformer.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/content_default_mobile_\/public\/2026\/07\/28\/14a37f2e\/nioh_3_-_hell_rising_dlc_11.jpg.webp 1x\" media=\"all and (max-width: 314px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"450\" height=\"253\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Team Ninja Answers Our Burning Questions About Nioh 3's First Story Expansion, Hell Rising\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/gameinformer.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/body_default\/public\/2026\/07\/28\/14a37f2e\/nioh_3_-_hell_rising_dlc_11.jpg.webp\" class=\"lazyload\" typeof=\"foaf:Image\"\/><\/p>\n<p>  <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/article>\n<p><strong>I did a double take when I saw that Takechiyo dies; is that accurate? If so, who will players control in Hell Rising and why did you decide to kill off the protagonist?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Fujita:<\/strong> The year 1651 CE \u2014 the setting of Hell Rising \u2014 was a time of political instability, marked by the death of the Shogun and the recent ascension of a young successor to the shogunate. In other words, the story takes place after Takechiyo\u2019s death, following a journey across time. Since the character the player controls is a version of Takechiyo who has traveled forward from the past, the protagonist of the main story does not, strictly speaking, meet his end.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Does Hell Rising require starting with a fresh character, or do our loot\/abilities from the base campaign carry over?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Fujita:<\/strong> As mentioned above, the character players control is Takechiyo, who has traveled through time from the past; therefore, players will play using data carried over from the main game.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Can you name some specific benefits the Hundred Demon Realms Picture Scrolls provide, and how do they complement the already dense list of abilities?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Fujita:<\/strong> As the \u201cHundred Demon Realms Picture Scroll\u201d will be added as a new category of equipment, players will equip a scroll in addition to their existing gear, further strengthening their character through the special effects it provides. Some of the special effects found on scrolls are similar to those available on existing equipment, but there are also several unique special effects that can only be found on scrolls. These include a group of special effects that require specific attributes, such as Valor or Heart, to reach a certain value before they can be activated, as well as a special effect that allows multiple Mastery Skills \u2014 which normally can only be activated one at a time \u2014 to be active simultaneously. These will have a significant impact on character builds. In addition, scrolls of Divine rarity will come with a Grace. This will allow players to gain one additional tier of a Grace\u2019s set bonus, meaning that scrolls will also have a major impact on builds in this regard.<\/p>\n<article data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"7ae79a83-e617-43d1-879d-cd29da8f0409\" data-embed-button=\"image_browser_uploader\" data-entity-embed-display=\"image:responsive_image\" data-entity-embed-display-settings=\"{&quot;responsive_image_style&quot;:&quot;content_body&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;},&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;link_url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;link_target&quot;:0,&quot;link_original&quot;:0,&quot;image_source&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;embed_source&quot;:0,&quot;image_caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;embed_caption&quot;:0,&quot;content_warning&quot;:0}\" data-langcode=\"en\" class=\"embedded-entity\">\n<picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/gameinformer.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/body_default\/public\/2026\/07\/28\/52cc1f46\/nioh_3_-_hell_rising_dlc_9.jpg.webp 1x\" media=\"all and (min-width: 851px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/gameinformer.comhttps:\/\/gameinformer.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/content_default_mobile_\/public\/2026\/07\/28\/52cc1f46\/nioh_3_-_hell_rising_dlc_9.jpg.webp 1x\" media=\"all and (min-width: 315px) and (max-width: 450px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"450\" height=\"253\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/gameinformer.comhttps:\/\/gameinformer.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/content_default_mobile_\/public\/2026\/07\/28\/52cc1f46\/nioh_3_-_hell_rising_dlc_9.jpg.webp 1x\" media=\"all and (max-width: 314px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"450\" height=\"253\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Team Ninja Answers Our Burning Questions About Nioh 3's First Story Expansion, Hell Rising\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/gameinformer.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/body_default\/public\/2026\/07\/28\/52cc1f46\/nioh_3_-_hell_rising_dlc_9.jpg.webp\" class=\"lazyload\" typeof=\"foaf:Image\"\/><\/p>\n<p>  <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/article>\n<p><strong>How big is Hell Rising, both in the size of the map compared to the current maps and the estimated length to complete?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Atsushi Takahashi<\/strong>: In terms of scale, it is comparable to the Heian section of the main game. It will take more than 10 hours to complete \u201cEdo-Keian,\u201d while \u201cHell Rising\u201d as a whole offers over 30 hours of content when including additional replay elements such as the newly added third playthrough. The open-field of \u201cEdo-Keian\u201d also features familiar locations such as Kanda and Ueno, as well as several distinct areas, including a massive aqueduct from which a local place name is derived, a multi-layered network of underground waterways, and a volcanic region where powerful enemies await. In addition to the level of challenge expected from a soulslike game, players can also enjoy the visual variety offered by these locations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How does using the Hoko and Shield differ between the Samurai and Ninja styles?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Takahashi: <\/strong>The defining feature of the \u201cHoko and Shield\u201d is its integration of offense and defense. Conventional combat involves guarding against or evading an enemy\u2019s attack, then striking during the opening that follows. Unlike a parry, which deflects an attack by carefully judging the enemy\u2019s timing, the Hoko and Shield allows players to block the attack and immediately drive their own attack into the enemy.<\/p>\n<p>The samurai\u2019s \u201cHoko and Shield\u201d is a weapon that seamlessly combines offense and defense. By unleashing a strong attack or certain Active Skills in time with an enemy\u2019s attack, players can deflect the blow with the shield while striking with the hoko. This allows them to engage even the most formidable foes head-on, outmaneuver them in a direct exchange, and drive them into a corner.<\/p>\n<p>By contrast, the ninja\u2019s \u201cNinja Hoko and Shield\u201d is a highly versatile weapon. The shield can not only be used to deflect enemy attacks, but also thrown or even ridden, while being combined with attacks from the hoko. Players can move freely in every direction and bewilder their enemies by, for example, leaping into the air while performing techniques and hurling the shield down from above.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Can you elaborate on what the divine-rarity Grace set bonuses are and the benefits they provide?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Fujita:<\/strong> \u201cGraces\u201d are set bonuses randomly assigned to equipment of Divine rarity. By equipping multiple pieces of equipment bearing the same Grace, players can activate up to six special effects depending on the number of pieces equipped. In \u201cEnlightened One&#8217;s Journey,\u201d the third-playthrough difficulty level added in the DLC, new Graces that did not appear within the scope of the main game will be introduced. These are primarily designed to strengthen builds that have previously been unable to demonstrate their full potential, such as builds specializing in a particular element, Onmyo, or Living Artifact. Powerful set bonuses have been prepared to encourage players to reconsider the builds they used through their second playthrough.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p>Hell Rising will be available for Nioh 3 on August 19 for PlayStation 5 and PC.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nioh 3 was one of our favorite games from the early months of 2026, and the jumbo-sized adventure is getting a substantial story expansion called Hell Rising this week, August 19. Hell Rising introduces a new map set in the Keian era in 1651 following the death of shogun Takechiyo, as well as new enemies, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":18713,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[161],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-online-games"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Team Ninja Answers Our Burning Questions About Nioh 3&#039;s First Story Expansion, Hell Rising | Unlock Informed Choices with Us<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The lead designers at Team Ninja answered questions over email about Nioh 3&#039;s first big narrative expansion. - Game Informer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Team Ninja Answers Our Burning Questions About Nioh 3&#039;s First Story Expansion, Hell Rising | Unlock Informed Choices with Us\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The lead designers at Team Ninja answered questions over email about Nioh 3&#039;s first big narrative expansion. - Game Informer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Unlock Informed Choices with Us\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-24T05:50:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"450\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Marcus Stewart\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Marcus Stewart\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/?p=18712#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/?p=18712\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Marcus Stewart\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/9582580fac7a67b43995feadd1c16157\"},\"headline\":\"Team Ninja Answers Our Burning Questions About Nioh 3&#039;s First Story Expansion, Hell Rising\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-24T05:50:49+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/?p=18712\"},\"wordCount\":1494,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/?p=18712#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Games\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/?p=18712#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/?p=18712\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/?p=18712\",\"name\":\"Team Ninja Answers Our Burning Questions About Nioh 3&#039;s First Story Expansion, Hell Rising | Unlock Informed Choices with Us\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/?p=18712#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/?p=18712#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-24T05:50:49+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/9582580fac7a67b43995feadd1c16157\"},\"description\":\"The lead designers at Team Ninja answered questions over email about Nioh 3&#039;s first big narrative expansion. - Game Informer\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/?p=18712#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/?p=18712\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/?p=18712#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp\",\"width\":800,\"height\":450},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/?p=18712#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Team Ninja Answers Our Burning Questions About Nioh 3&#039;s First Story Expansion, Hell Rising\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Topat10.com\",\"description\":\"Your Trusted Source for Honest Reviews on the Best Online Services, Products, and Websites \u2013 Unlock Informed Choices with Us\",\"alternateName\":\"Topat10\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/9582580fac7a67b43995feadd1c16157\",\"name\":\"Marcus Stewart\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Marcus Stewart\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/topat10.com\\\/?author=90\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Team Ninja Answers Our Burning Questions About Nioh 3&#039;s First Story Expansion, Hell Rising | Unlock Informed Choices with Us","description":"The lead designers at Team Ninja answered questions over email about Nioh 3&#039;s first big narrative expansion. - Game Informer","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Team Ninja Answers Our Burning Questions About Nioh 3&#039;s First Story Expansion, Hell Rising | Unlock Informed Choices with Us","og_description":"The lead designers at Team Ninja answered questions over email about Nioh 3&#039;s first big narrative expansion. - Game Informer","og_url":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712","og_site_name":"Unlock Informed Choices with Us","article_published_time":"2026-08-24T05:50:49+00:00","og_image":[{"width":800,"height":450,"url":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Marcus Stewart","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Marcus Stewart","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712"},"author":{"name":"Marcus Stewart","@id":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/#\/schema\/person\/9582580fac7a67b43995feadd1c16157"},"headline":"Team Ninja Answers Our Burning Questions About Nioh 3&#039;s First Story Expansion, Hell Rising","datePublished":"2026-08-24T05:50:49+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712"},"wordCount":1494,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp","articleSection":["Games"],"inLanguage":"en","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712","url":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712","name":"Team Ninja Answers Our Burning Questions About Nioh 3&#039;s First Story Expansion, Hell Rising | Unlock Informed Choices with Us","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp","datePublished":"2026-08-24T05:50:49+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/#\/schema\/person\/9582580fac7a67b43995feadd1c16157"},"description":"The lead designers at Team Ninja answered questions over email about Nioh 3&#039;s first big narrative expansion. - Game Informer","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en","@id":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp","width":800,"height":450},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=18712#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Team Ninja Answers Our Burning Questions About Nioh 3&#039;s First Story Expansion, Hell Rising"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/","name":"Topat10.com","description":"Your Trusted Source for Honest Reviews on the Best Online Services, Products, and Websites \u2013 Unlock Informed Choices with Us","alternateName":"Topat10","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/#\/schema\/person\/9582580fac7a67b43995feadd1c16157","name":"Marcus Stewart","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Marcus Stewart"},"url":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?author=90"}]}},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp",800,450,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-150x150.webp",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-300x169.webp",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-768x432.webp",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp",800,450,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp",800,450,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp",800,450,false],"mailpoet_newsletter_max":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp",800,450,false],"woocommerce_thumbnail":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-380x380.webp",380,380,true],"woocommerce_single":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp",800,450,false],"woocommerce_gallery_thumbnail":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-120x120.webp",120,120,true],"shareblock_justify":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp",800,450,false],"shareblock_small":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-120x120.webp",120,120,true],"shareblock_largeslider":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp",800,450,false],"shareblock_featurelarge":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp",800,450,false],"shareblock_midlarge":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-760x450.webp",760,450,true],"shareblock_slidergrid":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-500x350.webp",500,350,true],"shareblock_featurelist":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-500x368.webp",500,368,true],"shareblock_featuresmall":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-450x450.webp",450,450,true],"shareblock_justify_sload":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-20x11.webp",20,11,true],"shareblock_small_sload":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-20x20.webp",20,20,true],"shareblock_largeslider_sload":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-20x11.webp",20,11,true],"shareblock_featurelarge_sload":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-20x13.webp",20,13,true],"shareblock_slidergrid_sload":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-20x14.webp",20,14,true],"shareblock_midlarge_sload":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-20x16.webp",20,16,true],"shareblock_featurelist_sload":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-20x15.webp",20,15,true],"shareblock_featuresmall_sload":["https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp-20x20.webp",20,20,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Marcus Stewart","author_link":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?author=90"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Nioh 3 was one of our favorite games from the early months of 2026, and the jumbo-sized adventure is getting a substantial story expansion called Hell Rising this week, August 19. Hell Rising introduces a new map set in the Keian era in 1651 following the death of shogun Takechiyo, as well as new enemies,&hellip;","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nioh_3_hell_rising_-_ravine_training_ground.jpg.webp.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/90"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18712"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18712\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}