Microsoft’s DEI Commitment Leads to Exclusion of Attractive Women in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black XBOX Trailer

The remake of Ninja Gaiden II, a beloved Xbox 360 classic, has sparked controversy over apparent censorship in its latest promotional materials.

Originally released in 2008 as an Xbox 360 exclusive before being reworked as Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 for other platforms in 2009, the game later received a PlayStation Vita port (Sigma 2 Plus) in 2013 and was included in 2021’s Ninja Gaiden Master Collection.

The newest version, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, follows the tradition of Ninja Gaiden Black (a enhanced edition of the original Ninja Gaiden). However, a direct comparison of PlayStation and Xbox trailers reveals a stark discrepancy: Microsoft’s version conspicuously omits all major female characters, leading fans to speculate that this aligns with the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies, which prioritize progressive representation over traditional depictions of femininity.

In the PlayStation trailer for Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, iconic series characters Ayane, Rachel, Momiji, and Irene are prominently featured, highlighting their integral roles in the game.

In contrast, the Xbox trailer systematically removes these female characters, replacing their scenes with generic action sequences or male characters. For instance, at the 0:35 timestamp, the Tengu Brothers take the place of Irene’s brief appearance.

While the discrepancy might seem like a mere stylistic choice, the complete removal of major female characters from Microsoft’s promotional material suggests a deliberate move. Given Team Ninja’s reputation for fanservice-heavy female character designs in both Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive, Microsoft appears to be distancing itself from the franchise’s traditional aesthetic in favor of its broader DEI initiatives.

This aligns with a recurring trend in Microsoft’s approach to female representation in gaming, as seen in previous controversies surrounding Xbox’s marketing. The company has consistently prioritized inclusivity-driven redesigns across multiple titles, including the upcoming Fable and Perfect Dark reboots, at the expense of traditional feminine beauty and heteronormative depictions.

It’s no secret that Microsoft’s leadership has committed to progressive, ESG-backed corporate policies, which have heavily influenced game design and marketing decisions, particularly prioritizing diversity and inclusivity initiatives, such as those advocating for LGBT representation.

The removal of Ninja Gaiden II Black’s female characters from the Xbox trailer fits into this broader agenda, with the erasure of feminine charm not being an oversight but rather an ideological decision.

Ironically, Sony, historically criticized for its heavy-handed censorship policies, has taken the opposite approach. While PlayStation has enforced restrictions on revealing outfits in titles like Senran Kagura, it has allowed the uncensored depiction of Ninja Gaiden II Black’s female characters in its trailer.

By scrubbing its Ninja Gaiden II Black trailer of key female representation, Microsoft has further demonstrated its commitment to DEI-driven marketing strategies, once again at the cost of authenticity. While PlayStation retains the original integrity of the game’s promotional material, Xbox seems to be rewriting history in favor of an industry trend that vilifies traditional beauty and fanservice in the name of inclusivity.

Additionally, observant players have started noticing subtle but significant changes in how the female characters are portrayed within Ninja Gaiden II Black itself, sparking accusations of censorship.

One of the most noticeable changes involves Ayane and Rachel. Comparisons between their old and new designs suggest that their costumes, and even physical proportions, have been subtly altered compared to previous versions.

A particularly striking example is Rachel’s Fiend outfit from Dead or Alive 5 Last Round, which has been carried over into Ninja Gaiden II Black. This design offers more coverage than her original, more revealing attire from Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2. However, it’s worth noting that this version is still more revealing than Rachel’s costume in Dead or Alive 6, where she wore a black bodysuit underneath, covering her exposed skin from the breasts down.

This has raised concerns that the game is downplaying its female characters’ appearances to align with modern gaming trends, especially considering Microsoft’s ongoing DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives, which have increasingly influenced design choices in their published titles.

This follows a recent announcement by Koei Tecmo, stating they’ve been removing thousands of illicit fan-made creations based on the Dead or Alive franchise annually. Additionally, Team NINJA revealed plans to collaborate with PlatinumGames on Ninja Gaiden 4, a new mainline installment in the series set to be published by XBOX Game Studios.

This has led to growing uncertainty about whether Ninja Gaiden 4 will continue to tone down femininity and sex appeal, with a red flag already looming over the game’s potential direction.

One of the main complaints about the Ninja Gaiden II remake is the noticeable reduction in Ayane’s breast size and cleavage during her introduction cutscene. However, it’s important to consider that her depiction in Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 (the PS3 enhanced port) featured pre-rendered cutscenes to maintain performance and visual consistency.

In contrast, the remake uses real-time rendering with the game engine for its cutscenes, moving away from the reliance on pre-rendered FMVs (full-motion videos). This change ensures that character models, lighting, and effects align closely with the in-game graphics, creating a seamless transition between gameplay and cinematics.

This likely explains the visual differences between the original and the remake, as Ayane’s in-game model no longer features the exaggerated design seen in the FMVs of older games. FMVs were traditionally pre-rendered with higher-quality assets and more detailed models than what real-time gameplay could achieve, allowing for enhanced fidelity in textures, lighting, and animations.

They often emphasized dramatic presentation, including features like Ayane’s larger chest size, to heighten the cinematic impact or reflect the stylized design of that era, a trait not carried over into the remake with its new a more realistic design approach to its characters.

In contrast, in-game models are optimized for performance, especially in action-intensive games like Ninja Gaiden, where functionality often takes precedence over hyper-stylization.

Nitpicking aside, all the characters stay true to their original designs. While there are minor deviations, they still look fantastic and as captivating as ever, complete with the unapologetic jiggle physics that Koei Tecmo and Team NINJA are notorious for in their portrayal of their so-called “daughters.”

For those with a strong sense of moral conviction, it’s clear that Ninja Gaiden II Black has its share of censorship. Even so, it firmly cements itself as one of the most intense, brutal, and alluring games in recent memory, excluding mobile gacha games.

Unfortunately, as a hybrid remake blending elements from Ninja Gaiden II and Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, this version is missing several costumes. The original 2008 release featured four recolored variations of Ryu Hayabusa’s classic Black Falcon outfit, which are absent.

Additionally, the vanilla DLC costumes from the original Xbox version, totaling 15 extra outfits, are also missing, leaving these fan-favorite designs locked to the original game.

The DLC costumes from Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 and Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus are also missing. The PlayStation 3 version of Ninja Gaiden 2: Sigma featured four exclusive DLC costumes, all of which are absent from the remake. Additionally, the costumes from the PlayStation Vita re-release of Sigma 2, which were also included in the recently released Ninja Gaiden Master Collection, are not present either.

This includes the throwback costume to Dead or Alive and various recolor options, all of which are notably missing.

For completionists, the biggest disappointment is the absence of Mission Mode in Ninja Gaiden II Black. In the original Xbox release, Mission Mode was a DLC-exclusive feature that offered combat-focused trials separate from the main campaign. It included survival, boss rush, and enemy gauntlet missions, where players faced waves of enemies in confined arenas, aiming for high scores and rankings like “Master Ninja.”

With no story elements, Mission Mode was designed to test pure combat skill, rewarding mastery of movement, weapons, and enemy patterns. Introduced as a paid DLC, it catered to hardcore fans looking for even greater difficulty, making its absence in the remake all the more disappointing.

This remake blends Ninja Gaiden II and Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 (the PlayStation 3 port, which had its own issues with censorship regarding gore), but losing such a challenging mode is a letdown.

Other notable omissions include New Game Plus and PlusPlus. In the original Ninja Gaiden 2 on Xbox, players could replay a beaten difficulty with all upgrades intact or start with all weapons at their lowest level to fully experience every weapon in the game.

Additionally, Survival Mode, part of the Mission Mode DLC, is gone. This mode featured unique survival maps for each weapon with leaderboards and was one of the most popular modes, still active today with new records being set. Its removal, alongside the absence of Ninja Gaiden 2‘s co-op mode, is baffling.

The PS3 port of Ninja Gaiden II, Sigma 2, was groundbreaking in the genre by introducing a co-op mode, allowing players to team up online to tackle brutal challenges together. However, this feature was altered in the Vita release and subsequent rereleases, including Black, replacing the second player with an AI companion instead. In my opinion, that’s a bit of a letdown.

Several other features are missing as well, including the Dynasty Warriors collaborative outfits, the Windmill Shurikens, and the Ninja Race Mode. Additionally, the Statue of Liberty boss fight from Chapter 4 has been removed.

While such particular boss fights weren’t particularly loved by fans of the original, I don’t think that justifies their removal from the games supposed “remake.”

The surprise announcement and release of Ninja Gaiden II Black is still a welcome one however, especially since the game now has an official PC port. However, at a price of $50, it comes with censorship, missing original content, or features that have been removed.

While it may be the most visually impressive and striking installment in the franchise, thanks to its UE5 engine and “cinematic” lighting that alters the game’s aesthetic tone for the worst in my own opinion, pushing it to a hefty 80GB of storage, ten times the size of the original I’m personally wary of Koei Tecmo.

Their harsh censorship in Dead or Alive 6, along with their recent actions, like the annual removal of adult-themed fan art featuring DOA characters, whom they refer to as their “children,” make it hard to fully trust them and suggest they won’t be able to return to the infamy their franchises once had.

Although this remake might be a fun addition to today’s gaming landscape, maintaining enjoyment and sex appeal, the ideal way to play Ninja Gaiden II would still be through Xbox 360 Xenia emulation.

It’s a shame, especially since Koei Tecmo and Team NINJA seem to be once again aligning with Microsoft, a brand now heavily influenced by global inclusivity initiatives. While Ninja Gaiden II Black may still be worth buying for those willing to overlook its flaws, the removal of women from the Xbox trailer is a clear sign of the direction Ninja Gaiden 4 could take, which raises concerns about the franchise’s future.