Bandai Namco Entertainment has filed a trademark for Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, suggesting that a new game in the fighting game series might be on its way. Fans have been requesting a fifth game in the Ultimate Ninja Storm series for a few years now, though the last game ended the Naruto storyline, leaving only Boruto to cover.
As spotted by Reddit user TheRidiculousOtaku, Bandai Namco recently filed a trademark for a game titled Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections. No other information was given, though it sounds like this might either be a collection of some kind or an entirely new game. The latter seems more likely as “Connections” implies that it may link both Naruto and Boruto together and feature characters from to the old and new series.
Bandai Namco published four mainline Ultimate Ninja Storm fighting games over the past 15 years and a few spin-offs, all of which were developed by CyberConnect2. The games largely adapt the main story arcs of the Naruto anime and manga from creator Masashi Kishimoto, retelling the events in a condensed form that allowed players to take part in the narrative’s biggest clashes.
The last game in the series, 2016’s Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4, concluded the Fourth Great Shinobi War arc from the anime and manga, wrapping up the series until the end. An expansion, titled Road to Boruto, was later released to celebrate the continuation of the Naruto series through the protagonist’s son, Boruto. An online multiplayer title, Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker, is currently available on PlayStation Plus Premium.
Trademarks usually indicate that a studio is close to revealing a new project, so it’s possible that Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections might be unveiled sooner rather than later. All signs seem to point to The Game Awards which takes place on 8 December next month and might be the ideal stage to announce a brand new Naruto game. It could also be announced sometime next year, so take this with a pinch of salt for now.
Source: Reddit
