Last night’s State of Play broadcast was pretty incredible. A few new games here were announced which look great, release dates were confirmed but one thing I was not expecting was the reveal of the successor to Ghost of Tsushima. But there it was at the end of the broadcast, Ghost of Yotei the second game in Sucker Punch’s Ghost series.
Ghost of Yotei isn’t Ghost of Tsushima 2, it’s a brand new adventure with a new hero called Atsu. Atsu is a female protagonist who will fit well with PlayStation’s other strong female characters like Aloy from Horizon and Ellie from The Last of Us.
Ghost of Yotei. A new story, a new adventure
Ghost of Yotei takes place in feudal Japan in the year 1603, more than 300 years after the events of Ghost of Tsushima. The new story is set in the lands surrounding Mount Yōtei, a towering peak in the heart of Ezo, in present-day Japan, this area is known as Hokkaido. In 1603, this area was outside the rule of Japan and filled with sprawling grasslands, snowy tundras, and unexpected dangers. It’s a far cry from the organized samurai clans who lived in Tsushima, and it’s the setting for an original story that Sucker Punch can’t wait to tell.
Writing on the PlayStation Blog, Sucker Punch has said that they wanted to maintain the core pillars established in Ghost of Tsushima: playing as a wandering warrior in Feudal Japan, offering freedom to explore at your own pace, and highlighting the beauty of the world. And judging by the early screenshots shared by SUcker Punch, the world certainly does look beautiful.
We also wanted to continue to innovate. To create something fresh but familiar, we looked beyond Jin Sakai’s story and the island of Tsushima, and shifted our focus to the idea of the Ghost instead. At Sucker Punch we love origin stories, and we wanted to explore what it could mean to have a new hero wearing a Ghost mask, and uncovering a new legend. This led us to Ghost of Yōtei: a new protagonist, a new story to unfold, and a new region of Japan to explore.
Sucker Punch hasn’t gone into any major story details just yet, there will be plenty of time for that. Judging by the trailer, Ghost of Yotei looks like it will be a game that might just surpass the magnificence of Ghost of Tsushima. Sure, Jin Sakai won’t be in it but there will most likely be references to Jin throughout the game.
Ghost of Yotei will be Sucker Punch’s first game that has been built from the ground up for PS5. The PlayStation Studio says they are excited to “build on the visual foundation we established in Ghost of Tsushima by making the world feel even more real.” Sucker Punch gave a brief glimpse into what to expect with Ghost of Yotei in terms of visuals.
We have massive sightlines that let you look far across the environment, whole new skies featuring twinkling stars and auroras, even more believable movement from wind on grass and vegetation, and more improvements we’ll share in the future. Our new setting also gives us the opportunity to introduce new mechanics, gameplay improvements, and even new weapons.
Ghost of Yotei sounds like it is going to be great and we can’t wait to accompany Atsu on her Journey when Ghost of Yotei launches for PS5 in 2025.
