After a six-year wait following its predecessor’s release in 2016, Shadow Warrior 3 may have had any surprise it was hoping for ruined by an Xbox leak detailing the release date and preorder bonuses. Fans of the series have been waiting for more concrete info since Shadow Warrior 3’s announcement teaser trailer came out last summer, and now that wait may be over—if not, perhaps, in the way developer Flying Wild Hog might have wanted.
Originally conceived back in the 90s, Shadow Warrior was rebooted in 2013 and followed up by a sequel three years later. Now, the third entry in the series is on its way, and it looks to be shaking up the formula while drawing on its past. It maintains the series’ signature send-up of traditional ninja and martial arts stories, a tip of the hat to the fact that the series was originally built on the same engine as Duke Nukem, itself a parody of action movies of the 80s. Fans are eager to see what influence the past Shadow Warrior games have had on this new entry, and the big question was when they’d finally get to play the game. Now, through somewhat unofficial channels, that question may have been answered.
According to a report by True Achievements, corroborated by Game Rant, Shadow Warrior 3 has popped up on the Xbox Store with a release date of March 1st, 2022 and preorder bonuses that include full access to both Shadow Warrior and Shadow Warrior 2. The listing also shows the price, which is $49.99, decently cheaper than most new releases these days. While many of the game's fans were likely disappointed when Shadow Warrior 3 was delayed from its original 2021 release window, this leak suggests that the wait for Shadow Warrior 3 is nearly over. And with a preorder bonus of two full games, preordering will let gamers play through the first two games while they wait for the newest installment.
For fans of over-the-top, gory action games, the Shadow Warrior series offers blood, guts, and bullets galore will all the trappings of feudal-era Japan. The rebooted series has stayed true to its original roots of outlandish combat and snarky quips from its protagonist, and, whether Shadow Warrior 3 is the conclusion of a trilogy or just the next chapter in the Shadow Warrior story, it looks to breathe new life into the series through new additions to the Shadow Warrior such as a grappling hook. Hopefully the time the development team took to further improve the game was spent on more cool new features like this.
Even with Shadow Warrior 3’s release imminent, Flying Wild Hog is staying busy, with Space Punks, its collaborating with Jagex, in Early Access and Evil West in development. Luckily for their fans, Shadow Warrior 3’s full release seems imminent. If it really is just over a month away, fans will be experiencing its unique tongue-in-cheek brand of humor and hysteria soon.
Source: True Achievements, Game Rant