Ghost of Yotei, the upcoming sequel to the beloved Ghost of Tsushima, features a new setting, protagonist, and much more. Here is everything you need to know.
During PlayStation’s September 24, 2024 State of Play Showcase, fans were given their first look at Ghost of Yotei, the hotly anticipated sequel to the award-winning Ghost of Tsushima that debuted in 2020.
Given that nothing was known about the game before this reveal, we can now confirm a raft of details about the follow-up, including its new setting, period in Japanese history, female protagonist, and much more.
As such, here is everything you need to know about Ghost of Yotei to get you up to speed.
Release window: When is Ghost of Yotei coming out?
As confirmed in a PlayStation blog just moments after the State of Play reveal, Ghost of Yotei will be released in 2025. Exactly when in the next calendar year we may see it remains a mystery though.
Given it’s only just been revealed, and the fact the Iki Island expansion was worked on until 2021, it’s more than likely Ghost of Yotei will fall quite late in 2025.
This upcoming game will be the first project developer Sucker Punch, the minds behind Sly Cooper and inFAMOUS, has developed from the ground up for the PlayStation 5.
Setting: When & where?
Ghost of Yotei takes place in 1603, over 300 years after the original game’s events. The game will be set around Mount Yotei, an area of Japan now known as Hokkaido.
In the accompanying blog post, PlayStation provided further insight into the context surrounding Ghost of Yotei’s location, explaining how “In 1603, this area was outside the rule of Japan, and filled with sprawling grasslands, snowy tundras, and unexpected dangers.”
They further noted that this setting is a “far cry from the organized samurai clans who lived in Tsushima,” which is likely to add a whole new element to the franchise and the players’ experience.
New protagonist Atsu
Ghost of Yotei is set in a whole new time period and location and thus, features a brand new protagonist, Atsu.
Jin Sakai’s story and the island of Tsushima are gone. For the sequel, the devs wanted “to explore what it could mean to have a new hero wearing a Ghost mask and uncovering a new legend.”
While the devs have yet to fully explore Atsu’s character and motivations, the announcement trailer shows her wielding a shamisen and a traditional samurai sword.
A shamisen is a traditional Japanese lute that was created during the 1500s. In addition to sporting a shamisen and sword, Atsu will have a wolf companion accompanying her throughout her “underdog vengeance” journey.
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Erika Ishii cast as Atsu
Sucker Punch has also confirmed that Erika Ishii will portray Atsu. Ishii is a prolific voice actress whose main credits include voicing Valkyrie in Apex Legends and Ana Bray in Destiny 2. She has also voiced characters in other major video game franchises such as Halo, Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot, and many more.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Working with the whole team was a joy and an honor. 💛
— Erika Ishii (@erikaishii) September 24, 2024
When the news of her casting was announced, Ishii replied to the X post and stated, “Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Working with the whole team was a joy and an honor.”
Gameplay details
While Atsu’s prowess with her sword is likely to be a huge aspect of combat, the trailer’s final moments also teased the inclusion of firearms.
The emergence of guns and firearms in Japan is a huge aspect of the country’s history. The first of its kind to be brought to Japan, the Arquebus, was from the Portuguese in the 1500s.
PlayStation confirmed that Ghost of Yotei will “introduce new mechanics, gameplay improvements, and even new weapons.” As such, firearms will likely be just one of the unique gameplay features added for the sequel.
Fear not, however, for while the game will aim to “innovate” on systems found in Ghost of Tsushima, the devs have also promised to “create something fresh but familiar” for Yotei.
Beyond that, we know devs are striving to reduce the amount of repetition that’s prominent in open-world games. Admitting “doing the same thing over again” is a “challenge” in games of that nature, Creative Director Jason Connel said the team is looking to “balance against that and find unique experiences” with the sequel.
Exactly what that means is obviously unclear for now, but we could expect fewer stock standard shrines and haiku moments, replaced by a broader range of gameplay opportunities as we explore the lands surrounding Mount Yotei.
Ghost of Yotei kickstart new “extended universe”
Sony has made huge efforts to transform their major IPs into bigger universes in recent years. Whether that be HBO’s award-winning The Last of Us TV series or Tom Holland’s Uncharted film. Now, Sony is set on transforming the Ghost series, with Yotei “the beginning of an official franchise that will include at least one movie and other spinoffs.”
We already know that Ghost of Tsushima will be getting a film adaptation from Chad Stahelski, the director of the John Wick films.
As such, expect to see the Ghost franchise grow massively in the coming years as Sony works to expand it to greater heights in other mediums.
Trailer
The first official trailer for Ghost of Yotei was released on September 24, 2024. The footage was largely cinematic, introducing fans to the new setting, landscapes, and protagonist.
Ghost of Yotei wasn’t the only exciting title featured in PlayStation’s State of Play, so be sure to check out all the games included in PlayStation’s September 2024 showcase.