{"rewrite":{"id":"r_449eb08065236572ba65a881","clusterId":"c_560a493ab1fa3b4bc065a088","slug":"ninja-simulator-resumes-development-with-free-steam-playtest","model":"deepseek-v4-flash:free","headline":"Ninja Simulator Resumes Development With Free Steam Playtest","summary":"Developer RockGame resumed development on the stealth roguelike Ninja Simulator after a halt, and started a free playtest on Steam on August 18. The game, set in feudal Japan, features randomly equipped ninjutsu skills, stealth kills, and experience penalties for discovery. Full release timing remains undecided.","whyItMatters":"The playtest marks the first playable state of the project since RockGame halted work and rebuilt the plan with new roguelike elements.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eRockGame announced the playtest on August 18, four years after the game\u0026#39;s initial announcement in June 2020. Information stopped flowing after January 2022, and the developer says development was halted while they rethought and rebuilt the plan. The new version adds roguelike elements that did not exist initially, including random map environments and skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe playtest is free and immediately playable through the Steam store page. It includes a tutorial and a map called Forest Valley with four main quests, plus access to unlockable skills and equipment. Players can request access from the \u0026#39;Join Ninja Simulator Playtest\u0026#39; section on the store page.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Ninja Simulator's playtest rewards clean runs with experience penalties on discovery, so the roguelike loop punishes the very risk that makes stealth tense. Development resumed after a halt, and the free playtest on Steam is live.","twitterPost":"Ninja Simulator's experience penalties for discovery make the stealth roguelike punish its own core loop. Free playtest is live on Steam.","threadsPost":"Ninja Simulator's playtest is live, but the design has a sharp edge: experience penalties for getting spotted. In a roguelike where each run randomizes ninjutsu, that penalty turns every alert into a run-ending threat. RockGame resumed development after a halt, and the free Steam test is already here.","newsletterBlurb":"RockGame resumed development on Ninja Simulator after a halt and launched a free Steam playtest. The stealth roguelike now features random skills and map environments. Full release timing remains undecided.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Automaton\",\"url\":\"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260819-461122/\",\"title\":\"Stealth Ninja Roguelike 'Ninja Simulator' Development Resumes After 4 Years, Playtest Immediately Begins. Infiltrate with Different 'Ninjutsu' Each Time, Must Not Be Seen by Anyone\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":4559,"outputTokens":541,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1787130646,"createdAt":"2026-08-19T08:57:54.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-08-19T09:01:44.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-19T08:57:54.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_560a493ab1fa3b4bc065a088","canonicalTitle":"Steam忍者隠密ローグライク『Ninja Simulator』4年越しの開発再開、からの早速プレイテスト開始。毎回異なる「忍術」で潜入、誰にも姿を見せてはならぬ","representativeArticleId":"a_5d8756269f859c8280bbe7a0","sourceCount":1,"writtenSourceCount":1,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":true,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Ninja Simulator\"],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"release\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-08-19T08:11:30.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-08-19T08:11:30.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-19T09:01:45.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Automaton","url":"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260819-461122/","title":"Steam忍者隠密ローグライク『Ninja Simulator』4年越しの開発再開、からの早速プレイテスト開始。毎回異なる「忍術」で潜入、誰にも姿を見せてはならぬ"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Ninja Simulator"],"studios":[],"people":[],"type":"release","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":null}