Is there going to be a Rise of the Ronin DLC?

Team Ninja’s samurai action-RPG Rise of the Ronin has received raves for its main story and left fans wanting more. Although the main campaign appears to have concluded with an obvious end, the universe of Rise of the Ronin happens to be open to future stories and expansions.

Future Content Opportunities

One obvious avenue for future content would be to see what paths the protagonist’s Blade Twin could take after the main game ends. Depending on whether the player spared or killed this character, their goodbye phrases suggest they were leaving to “watch things happen from someplace else.” This could serve as the basis for a DLC expansion following the origins of the Blade Twin – taking players into the story from their point of view.

Another possibility would be to explore the individual backstories of Rise of the Ronin’s supporting characters in more depth. A few of these characters such as Ryoma Sakamoto are shown off by themselves in the game’s epilogue, providing space for expansions. A DLC centered around a companion’s trip to the West or their prequels to the main events could offer new arcs for players to explore.

Adding Supernatural Elements

With Team Ninja having experience with the Nioh series (where they mixed historical settings with supernatural aspects) there could also be potential for future Rise of the Ronin content to dive into more fantastical and mythological aspects of the game’s world. The mysterious “blue demon” appearing towards the end of the main campaign suggests some sort of otherworldly presence – something which could be explored in downloadable content.

Crossover Potential with Ghost of Tsushima

As a PlayStation exclusive, Rise of the Ronin uses the same platform and setting as another popular samurai game, Ghost of Tsushima. There are thematic and mechanical similarities between the two titles and a DLC crossover would likely fit the bill perfectly. This could be in the form of exclusive gear, weapons, or even Ghost of Tsushima-style guest appearances, giving players a hybrid of the two samurai experiences.

In addition, such a crossover could serve to tease a future Ghost of Tsushima sequel, keeping both franchises in the spotlight and building anticipation for the future. Sony publishing both games, so a joint DLC expansion sounds like a good idea.

Room for Narrative Expansion

Although the main story arc for Rise of the Ronin has concluded, the game’s open-ended nature and its 1800s Japan heritage provide plenty of room for storytelling. The protagonist’s reference to “new horizons” paves the way for narratives addressing the sociopolitical context that is changing as Japan enters the modern period.

Or DLC could focus on off-screen events and activities of characters not featured in the main campaign. Providing players the chance to observe these told stories from several perspectives might offer a better understanding of the game and its events/characters.

Finally, the critical acclaim and eponymous setting of Rise of the Ronin have left fans wanting more. Though Team Ninja has yet to confirm any post-launch content plans, the narrative and gameplay options laid out here suggest the studio could potentially continue this samurai saga in future downloadable content.