Ghost of Yōtei, a follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima that takes place more than 300 years after the events of the 2020 action-adventure game and stars a new hero, Atsu, on a quest for vengeance in the lands surrounding what is now Hokkaido, Japan, marks the beginning of an official franchise that will include at least one movie, as well as other spinoffs, according to a new report that features new comments from Nate Fox and Jason Connell, creative directors at Sucker Punch Productions. The new game, which will allow players to master not only melee weapons (e.g., katanas) but also firearms, is being applauded by some players for being the latest game from PlayStation Studios to feature a female protagonist, a trend that continues to be set by games that include Horizon Zero Dawn.
Connell and Fox on their recent visits to Japan, including one of their goals for Ghost of Yotei:
- “I sat there for two hours just staring at the mountain [Mount Yotei]. It was stunning.” (Connell)
- “Inside [Shiretoko National Park, on the northeastern tip of Hokkaido], you have to watch a video telling you about the dangers of bears.” (Fox)
- “Being in this incredibly beautiful park with jagged cliffs and water, yet all the time being aware there were dangerous bears, was electrifying. We strive to bring that into the video game — that feeling of danger.” (Fox)
- “One challenge that comes with making an open-world game is the repetitive nature of doing the same thing over again. We wanted to balance against that and find unique experiences.” (Connell)
Some feedback of Atsu from PlayStation fans:
- “I don’t remember where I heard it (was it from EA?) but some years ago the sentiment was female protagonists don’t sell games. Times are a changing.”
- “We’ve come a long way from the likes of Nariko, Fat Princess and Kat being the only female representation as per PlayStation All Stars.”
- “I think it was both EA and Ubisoft that believed it, think that’s why Odyssey has two playable MCs (at least from what I remember) even though everyone agrees that Kassandra is the main character.”
- “Also the best Uncharted game is female lead. Yeah, I’m liking seeing more and more good female representation!”
The announcement trailer for Ghost of Yōtei:
The Times noted in its report:
Without going into detail, the developers said Ghost of Yotei was a story of “underdog vengeance” that followed Atsu as she moved through the natural landscape, including sprawling grasslands and snowy tundras. They said players would have greater control over her story than in the previous game.
(Fox considers himself a fan of the television show [Shogun] and the book it was based on; his dog, an Australian labradoodle, is named Lord Toranaga after a main character.)