'Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker' release date, gameplay news: title may not have Story Mode

The lead characters of the popular manga and anime series "Naruto" Twitter/Narutovideogame

"Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker" may be taking a different route compared to its predecessors.

The video game from developer Soleil and publisher Bandai Namco is set to launch a beta version that allows the players to dive into the game early on. This does not only reflect and highlight the latest build of the game but also how the core features will be like at the launch of the game.

But, based on a TGN Anime interview with Niino Noriaki, producer of "Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker," it seems that there's something more about the Story Mode and the status of microtransactions.

The lack of a Story Mode and the possibility of microtransactions have fans questioning the direction of the team behind "Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker."

Microtransactions are business models designed for players to be able to purchase virtual goods. It is often employed by free-to-play games to provide an avenue for the developers to earn from making the game. The developers are still debating whether microtransactions should be included as a cosmetic-based component or if this should be absent at launch.

A lot of fans became skeptical after the announcement made by the game developer about the approach they are taking in connection to "Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker's" graphics and gameplay. This skepticism was replaced by anticipation after Bandai Namco and Soleil unveiled a video about their character creation for the upcoming fighting game.

"Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker" is a multiplayer online video game set to come out on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC. In the game, players will go against each other in four-on-four battles with all eight players fighting at the same time. The timeline of the game takes place as Naruto becomes the Seventh Hokage.

No exact date has been released regarding the game's launch but it is slated to arrive early next year.

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