Nioh 3 Patch 1.03.01 Fixes Game-Breaking Bugs, Delivers Major Enemy Health Updates

Nioh 3’s first major post-launch patch, version 1.03.01, launched on PlayStation 5 and Steam on 13 February 2026, squashing numerous progress-halting bugs and significantly increasing enemy health in the Training Ground Battle Scroll. The update improves gameplay stability across both platforms while making shrine access available during battle.

Nioh 3 has received a sweeping update from Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo, addressing a range of technical issues reported by players since release. Update Ver1.03.01 directly targets problems that halted game progression, resolved recurring crash bugs, and introduced new gameplay adjustments, reflecting the studio’s commitment to player experience. According to the official patch notes, players will now face tougher enemies in the Training Ground Battle Scroll, thanks to a “greatly increased” Health stat for foes. Crucially, the patch also allows players to pray at shrines mid-battle, a feature requested by the game’s vocal community.

Key Gameplay Adjustments:

• Enemy Health has been greatly increased in the Training Ground Battle Scroll, ramping up the challenge.
• Players can now pray at the shrine during battle, providing critical options for healing and checkpointing during high-intensity encounters.

Progression & Stability Fixes:

• Resolved a bug causing loss of valuables during Myths under certain conditions; loading affected save data will now allow players to recover lost items.
• Partial fix for a recurring crash issue that occurred during gameplay.
• Fixed progression blocks in quests such as “Investigate the building” command in Eternal Rift, and campaign-specific progress barriers in Myths Fated Land and The Demon of the Haunting Caves set in “1572 CE – Warring States”.
• Resolved issue preventing receipt of the Guiding Mirror from Ii Naotora at Hamamatsu Castle.
• Fixed an issue where Takasugi Shinsaku could become stuck during “The Sweet Sound of Strings”, halting mission progress.
• Addressed an issue where Kagatsuchi’s Magatama could not be delivered to the blacksmith.
• Corrected bug preventing the unlock of special Battle Scrolls like Takeda’s Four Heavenly Kings, even when conditions were met.

Weapon & Skill-Specific Bug Fixes:

• Fixed a state where switching between melee weapons was not possible while locked on and sheathing a weapon.
• Resolved glitches with the Samurai weapon the cestuses, including:
  • Martial Art Rising Gale incorrectly triggering Martial Art Kick Cycle.
  • Martial Art Dancing Kick not dealing damage to enemies at distance.
  • Stance change issues during Defensive Drop.
• Fixed bug where infinite use of the switchglaive’s Martial Art Infinite Retribution was possible under certain inputs.
• Addressed edge cases causing attacks with certain weapons to fail against Yamainu.
• Fixed a bug where player attacks could not interrupt Minamoto no Yoritomo’s special moves, even on depleted Ki.

Multiplayer and Expedition Corrections:

• Players joining via friend search or being summoned can no longer access missions not previously completed on their account.
• Fixed a bug where guests in Expeditions would receive the same trophies/achievements as the host.
• Synchronisation improvements for Mujina behaviour and Battle Scroll item collection in multiplayer sessions.
• Fixed a bug causing the Kodama at the well to be unobtainable after multiplayer.

Platform-Specific Notes:

• PlayStation 5: Fixed an issue where the friend search function would stop working after extended multiplayer room creation.
• Steam: The client now automatically generates a backup copy of save data when loading.
• Fixed occasional failures in stage rendering and Martial Art reassignment conflicts when remapping keyboard and mouse controls.

Player Response and Ongoing Popularity

Nioh 3 has marked outstanding commercial and critical success since its debut. On its launch weekend, the game attracted just under 90,000 concurrent players on Steam, more than double the figures of Nioh 2 and eight times that of the original Nioh. Eurogamer’s review praised the sequel’s polish:

“It feels as though the series, after three iterations, has finally refined its formula to the point of excellence: like the shogun it so reveres, it has taken the roots of what has come before, paid homage to its legacy, and deigned to build something even more powerful – something even more enduring – on those foundations. Enjoy the brutality, revel in the power fantasy, and let yourself be hammered into the ground by the blunt-force trauma of a world dedicated to seeing everything in terms of absolutes.”

Nioh 3’s rapid, detailed patching, addressing everything from multiplayer exploits to obscure weapon bugs, reflects Team Ninja’s intent to maintain the franchise’s new high standard. With significant improvements to stability, mechanics, and player experience, this update cements Nioh 3 as one of 2026’s finest hardcore action RPG releases.

Notable Patch 1.03.01 Details (Published 13 February 2026):

• Platform: PlayStation 5, Steam
• Game Version: 1.03.01
• Core Fixes: Progression bugs, crashing, weapon and multiplayer system stability, gameplay balance adjustments
• Player Base (Steam, launch weekend): ~90,000 concurrent players