In Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening, players will experience the life of a daimyō, a powerful Japanese leader, in the troubled times of the Warring States Period, 16th century Japan.

As the head of their own clan, players will have to make the best decisions in in key areas ranching from the economy, to diplomacy, and military might in hopes of eventually unifying the country. To do so, they will be supported by retainers, AI officers who think and act on their own judgement. Retainers will provide submissions to the players to help them plan their battle strategy.

Players will issue policies which will impact the entire clan, and appoint land holders who will develop domains by themselves. In addition, they will also be able to appoint conservators, who can change the overall trend of the clan, as well as council officials to guide them when issuing policies. Players can even have direct talks with their officers to strengthen their allegiance and stop them from absconding, and these direct talks have the potential to open up new strategies as players deepen bonds with their retainers.

In Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening, players will experience the troubled times of the Warring States Period, 16th century Japan through the virtual life of a daimyō, a powerful Japanese leader, land owner, and feudal lord. Leading their troops to battle can be tricky, however, as the daimyō must quickly assess every situation on a rapidly changing battlefield in order to successfully take control of the map. First order of business is the march. Look across the land and choose the marching route carefully, as certain routes may be beset with obstacles, including roads too narrow for large troop movements, or even an enemy fortress! By choosing the wrong route, you could lead your army into a devastating situation.

But that’s not the only danger you’ll face. If there are any small battles happening nearby a daimyō's unit, then one major battle can be launched to settle the fight. Allies and enemies nearby will assemble at a single battlefield to determine the clan's future, and the results could have significant impact on surrounding clans, truly testing the daimyō's ability as a military leader and political negotiator.

In Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening, the key to conquering the map is the ability to master the military art of the siege. A siege takes place when you attack an enemy's main base or defensive position. Each castle will have a totally different battlefield, while the surrounding domains and land holders will also be involved in these large-scale conflicts. The attacking side will need to break through defensive equipment to attack the citadel while fighting across a variety of terrains including mountain castles and flatlands. To achieve victory, the daimyō will need to consider how to attack or defend based on each castle's terrain.

Historic sites and terrain captured in the game include: Nagashima, a stronghold of the Holy Rebellion at the mouth of the Kiso Three Rivers which had many branches and blocked Oda clan's army; Kasugayama, the castle of Kenshin Uesugi that overlooks the Sekigawa River and the Sea of Japan; Tsukui, a castle at the entrance to Yamanashi Prefecture on the Kantō Plain; and Kameyama, a castle in Mie Prefecture, located between the Suzuka Mountains and Ise Bay.

The attacking side will win the siege if they destroy all enemy units or conquer the main citadel. However, they will lose when all of their allied units are destroyed or their total morale turns to zero. Total morale decreases over time, so it is important to attack quickly. The defending side will win if they withstand the onslaught until the enemy's total morale turns to zero, or if they destroy all enemy units. On defense, it’s important to resist enemy's attack while protecting equipment and troops to prevent the enemy's total morale from rising. Winning a siege will enforce your "authority" throughout the area and help your daimyo secure their spot in history!

One of the series’ most popular features, siege, also makes its comeback in Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening, but in an entirely new form. For the first time in the series, sieges will take place on a single map with different types of terrain and totally different castles or castle towns, allowing players to enjoy dynamic sieges and a new level of strategy. When attacking, players will need to decide where to break through and which route to take while, when defending, they will need to decide where to deploy defensive equipment and how to intercept the attacking force.

In addition, Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening will include various features that befit the 40th Anniversary of the series, including landmarks and achievements that will affect the strategy. Players will also enjoy a large variety of scenarios, events, policies, and more, as well as elements from the previous titles such as an editing function that will allows them to change officer status, background music and scenarios, or create new clans.

Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening is coming to PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC (Steam) on July 20, 2023!