The new game, a PS5 exclusive sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, is set approximately 300 years after Jin Sakai's story, and features a new protagonist named Atsu.
Writing on the PS Blog, the Seattle-based studio explained: "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 Yotei: a new protagonist, a new story to unfold, and a new region of Japan to explore."
While details are admittedly quite scarce at this stage, some have reacted negatively to the developer's decision to introduce a female protagonist. "They can't help themselves until every franchise that was built on masculinity is replaced," one person whined. "[I'm] so sick of the forced girl boss narrative."
From our perspective, we trust Sucker Punch implicitly with this project, and we're excited to see how it evolves upon the themes of Ghost of Tsushima in this new narrative arc.
Layden, one of the most popular executives from PlayStation's past, pulled no punches in his response to the attempted backlash: "[This is] a story a team of creators believe in. They want to make this. If you don't like it, don't buy it. In fact, why not make the game you want yourself?"
Ultimately, the reception to Ghost of Yotei has been overwhelmingly positive, with many excited to learn about the new character's story, and how the developer is building upon the foundations it established with the hugely popular first-party franchise. We suspect this forced drama will ultimately be drowned out by hype, and we're just eager to learn more about the title ahead of its 2025 launch.
