"Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 4" is now looking at a 2016 release date instead of its original 2015 fall release. The delay has been announced in the latest issue of the Japanese manga magazine Weekly Shonen Jump.
The release date was specified to be Feb. 4, 2016 in Japan. The new reveal including the first look at recently announced preorder playable characters, Boruto Uzumaki and Sarada Uchiha, DualShockers reported.
The scans also include a couple of hints as to what the two characters will bring to battle. Boruto, Naruto's son, will show off his agility and unique battles style, while Sasuke's daughter Sarada will use the sharingan that she gained from Sasuke.
There was no mention of why "Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 4" will be delayed. Since the release date for the PS4, Xbox One and PC in the west was also dated for more or less the same original 2015 window, it's likely that a similar announcement for a delay will soon be announced.
"Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 4" has been slated for a playable demo at gamescom as part of Bandai Namco's lineup. However, gaming events may be the only way that fans can experience a demo of the game.
Answering a fan query over at its official Twitter, Bandai Namco confirmed that there are no plans for a free demo. Fans were obviously disappointed by the announcement.
"Currently, no plans for a Naruto Storm 4 Demo. It will be playable at a handful of events globally," said Bandai Namco.
This is unlike previous installments of the game. The last title, "Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 3" had a free playable demo released in Feb. 19, 2013, before its official release date in Mar. 5 of that year. Other previous titles also had a similar free demo that fans could try out days before the actual release of the game.