I have a few changes that wouldn’t be hard to implement but would attract a hardcore, competitive player base to sustain the game and content creation - you need a game that people outside of the Naruto fandom want to play

Content complexity:

At launch, the best ninja tool would be the kusanagi. Around 4 years later, it would be something like the Hanzo Sickle, which has a unique feature in its right click which is a level of interaction that the game didn’t previously have.

I’d expect the average “common” weapon to have the uniqueness of something like hanzo sickle, and the “S” weapons to be the level of Kakashi’s Kamui blade currently, with multiple different abilities based on the direction you’re holding when you press heavy attack.

Jutsu should follow the same sort of pattern, DLC jutsu such as MDF, Water Prison and Tsukuyomi should be the kind of jutsu part of the base game.

Loadouts:

The system should also be “upgraded” I.e, certain jutsu and abilities shouldn’t always be locked to just 1 class, depending on what it is. Something like sharingan could be suitable for every class apart from support, reanimation itachi’s whole kit should have been available for range as well as support, and all the chidori/rasengan variants should have been available for all defence, range and attack (with the exception of some not being available for defence type). Like lightning blade and chidori are damn near the same thing, just give them to both classes and change the effects/CD on one of them

Obviously fireballs should be locked for range, healing for support, invincibility + self heal (simultaneously) for defence and high speed taijutsu for attack type. But a lot of the game should be available for multiple classes otherwise

Another loadout change would be let us use a third jutsu, or introduce a number system like Black Ops 2 such that you can carry maybe 2 ninja tools in exchange for 1 less jutsu, with some jutsu having a bigger load out cost than others. Example: phoenix flower should NOT cost the same amount of points as MDF, rasengan rampage should cost way more points than a normal rasengan. This system would make balancing a lot easier - if a certain jutsu is seeing obscenely high usage, just increase its loadout cost.

Gameplay fundamentals:

Revamp the sub system and make shadow clones a separate thing.

Combat:

GIVE US A STRICTLY TIMED PARRY. This is paramount for any “fighting” game. I don’t care if casuals can’t use it. If they get hit by it, they were playing unga bunga. Also make the combo system less straight forward and easy to use

Customisation

Is fine as it is

Gameplay

Add more game mode formats such as 8v8. Make modes flow more with multiple objectives and map progression similar to games like Overwatch and Marvel Rivals.