Team Ninja's new lead wants to explore new IPs

If we said Team Ninja's path since Ninja Gaiden 2 has been increasingly onerous, the industry would toss us the coveted Understatement of the Year award. Speaking with Gamasutra, new Team Ninja lead, Yosuke Hayashi, said the pressure is on for his team to prove themselves following the exit of long-time leader, Tomonobu Itagaki.

Hayashi realizes Team Ninja is "most well-known" for the Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive franchises and knows fans have certain "expectations" but the team would like to move onto new properties. The new Team Ninja lead says it's one of Team Ninja's "goals and missions" in a post-Itagaki regime -- which begins with the release of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, a move we know Itagaki would not approve of. According to the article, Team Ninja is already in the process of developing a new IP.

During a quick word exchange with Joystiq at GDC, Hayashi delicately sidestepped questions regarding the former Team Ninja boss. Yeah! He totally was gracious and respectful toward someone who talked mess about his previous work. This guy is nothing like Tomonobu!