The Nioh 3 release time is right around the corner. If you’ve been itching to step into Tokugawa Takechiyo’s sandals and put an end to your brother’s little reign of terror, you’re nearly there. Last week’s Nioh 3 demo drew a lot of praise and let players roam the first region—now opened up in a way the series hasn’t tried before.
Beyond that newfound freedom, Nioh 3 leans into a dual combat style, letting you flip between samurai and ninja on the fly. If you’re planning your first session, here’s exactly when Nioh 3 unlocks in your region on PC and PS5, plus preload details.
What time does Nioh 3 release in your time zone on PC?
Nioh 3 goes live on PC at Friday, Feb. 6 at 12 a.m. EST. Here’s how that lines up globally:
- 9 p.m. PST on Thursday, Feb. 5 for the west coast of North America
- 12 a.m. EST on Friday, Feb. 6 for the east coast of North America
- 2 a.m. BRT on Friday, Feb. 6 for Brazil
- 5 a.m. GMT on Friday, Feb. 6 for the United Kingdom
- 6 a.m. CET on Friday, Feb. 6 for western Europe
- 2 p.m. JST on Friday, Feb. 6 for Japan
- 4 p.m. AEDT on Friday, Feb. 6 for the east coast of Australia
What time does Nioh 3 release in your time zone on PS5?
On PS5, Nioh 3 unlocks at midnight local time—except in North America, where it becomes playable for everyone once the clock hits midnight EST. In practical terms, that looks like:
- 9 p.m. PST on Thursday, Feb. 5 for the west coast of North America
- 12 a.m. EST on Friday, Feb. 6 for the east coast of North America
- 12 a.m. BRT on Friday, Feb. 6 for Brazil
- 12 a.m. GMT on Friday, Feb. 6 for the United Kingdom
- 12 a.m. CET on Friday, Feb. 6 for western Europe
- 12 a.m. JST on Friday, Feb. 6 for Japan
- 12 a.m. AEDT on Friday, Feb. 6 for the east coast of Australia
Can you preload Nioh 3?
Yes on PS5—preload is live and weighs in at roughly 79GB. If you pre-ordered digitally, you’ll find it in your library. On PC, there’s no preload option. Progress from the demo carries over to the full game on both platforms.
What to expect in Nioh 3
Nioh 3 dabbles in open-world structure for the first time—sort of. The map is split across four regions. You can explore each as you unlock them and tackle objectives in the order you like, but story progress still gates access. Each map is packed with side missions and optional objectives, even as the main quest nudges you forward to reclaim territory from the Yokai.
It’s still very much a Soulslike: tense, punishing combat, enemies that repopulate, and boss fights that are equal parts grotesque and fascinating. In early review testing, one reviewer spent over 30 hours combing through the first region alone to stay leveled for what follows—there’s a lot of game here, and it’s a strong showing.