Xbox helps Ninja Gaiden 4 set a Guinness World Record with helicopter gameplay over Miami

Ninja Gaiden 4 has set a Guinness World Record for the largest video game display flown by a helicopter, even before its official launch today, thanks to a daring collaboration between Xbox, Koei Tecmo, Team Ninja, and aerial media company Heli-D.

This monumental stunt took place over the vibrant skyline of Miami Beach, Florida, where two helicopters took to the skies. One helicopter carried a massive 26-foot-wide screen measuring 20 square meters. The other helicopter carried Team Ninja’s community manager, Emmanuel “Master” Rodriguez, alongside diamond-certified rapper Swae Lee, who played the game mid-air.

The record-breaking display was streamed live using advanced sports broadcasting technology, allowing Rodriguez and Swae Lee to control their gameplay from the helicopter. The enormous screen, suspended below the second chopper, broadcast every slash, grapple, and combo against the backdrop of Miami’s city lights. The video also featured snippets from Swae Lee’s exclusive new track “Flammable.”

Xbox went the extra mile to use marketing, gaming, technology, and a celebrity cameo to celebrate the revival of a beloved franchise that has been dormant for nearly 13 years.

Developed by Team Ninja along with PlatinumGames and published under Xbox’s banner, Ninja Gaiden 4 marks the return of the series’ roots, featuring Ryu Hayabusa and a new character, Yakumo.

Ninja Gaiden 4 has been praised for its return-to-form gameplay, bringing back intense action-packed combat for a new generation of players. While the premise and the story have been dubbed as weak points of the new installment, fans of PlatinumGames and Ninja Gaiden Black are expected to enjoy the game’s ‘satisfying’ combat loop.

The game launched today on Xbox Series S|X, Xbox on PC, Rog Xbox Ally handhelds, Xbox Cloud, Steam, and PlayStation 5. It is also available as a day-one title with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

Beyond the stunts, Ninja Gaiden 4’s Deluxe Edition offers future content like “The Two Masters” expansion, potentially adding more screen time for Ryu Hayabusa, who is unfortunately playable for only a few sections of the game’s main story.

This Guinness World Record isn’t tied to sales or units moved, but in the backdrop of current layoffs at Microsoft, it could paint a positive image of the creative lengths Xbox is willing to go to promote titles it publishes, at least in some cases.

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