Liu Di, producer of Nobunaga's Ambition: Soaring, recently introduced the design concepts behind the "Just Cause" system and Story Mode. The new title aims to portray the humanity behind warfare through officers' reasons for going to war and whether their retainers agree with them, while using the Story Mode to help newcomers familiarize themselves with the gameplay.
The concept of "Just Cause" was first conceived around summer 2024. When Liu Di and Executive Producer Kenichi Ogasawa discussed the direction for the new title, they both independently proposed this idea. After the project officially launched, Liu Di was invited to serve as producer. He previously served as director and lead planner for Nobunaga's Ambition: Shinsei, and as development producer and director for Nobunaga's Ambition: Shinsei with Power-Up Kit.
Liu Di stated that previous entries in the Nobunaga's Ambition series tended to emphasize individual officers' abilities, whereas the new system incorporates "why they fight" into the gameplay. Whether retainers accept their faction's Just Cause will affect their stats. The magnitude of this effect is still being adjusted, currently planned to range from approximately +10 to -15 points. Factions originating from Shugo Daimyo may gain an advantage, but some already declining Shugo Daimyo might not fully benefit from the system.
The Story Mode integrates tutorials into the narrative. Early game stages focus on introducing mechanics such as town development and "Just Cause," gradually reducing guidance to let players apply what they've learned to progress independently. The development team repeatedly adjusted missions and dialogue according to story progression, aiming to incorporate a more RPG-like experience into the historical simulation gameplay. This mode is still being refined, with an estimated completion time of 20 to 25 hours at this stage.
The visual style and controls have also been adjusted, with the game developed using Koei Tecmo's "KATANA ENGINE." The team analyzed simulation games in overseas markets while preserving the original characteristics of the Nobunaga's Ambition series, enhancing atmospheric effects, lighting, and color representation. The opening cinematic is once again directed by Shinji Higuchi, incorporating elements from the earlier title Inindo: Way of the Ninja.
All facilities available for town development are unlocked from the start, though some require specific policies to be enacted first. Players can develop entire regions in a single playthrough, while also considering land suitability and the effects of adjacent facilities. War will also damage constructed content to some extent, though its presentation differs from that in Nobunaga's Ambition: Taishi.
Nobunaga's Ambition: Soaring is scheduled to launch this winter on Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC (Steam). The Tokyo Game Show 2026 demo offers both the main mode and Story Mode, with the main mode featuring the 1560 "Battle of Okehazama" scenario, allowing players to choose a faction from among the national daimyo.