by MORGAN Jack - Published 2 months ago

Sucker Punch: Ghost of Tsushima's Fresh Start

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Ghost of Yotei won't feature Jin Sakai as its protagonist when the game launches in 2025, and that's not by accident.
Sucker Punch has announced that it is refining its focus on the central concept of "Ghost," with a new narrative unfolding that builds upon many of the key elements from previous iterations.
The studio also announced that the game is being built from the ground up for the PS5, and will include new gameplay mechanics.

When the sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, officially titled Ghost of Yotei, was shown at the end of Tuesday's State of Play presentation, fans immediately wondered what happened to protagonist Jin Sakai. It seemed like a woman had taken his place, and it turns out that was intentional.

In a new blog post on PlayStation's official website, Sucker Punch, through communications manager Andrew Goldfarb, explained in detail why Sakai was being left behind in the latest game from the first-party studio.

The Ghost Is A Concept That Will Persist

First, the new protagonist is named Atsu. Her story takes place more than 300 years after the events of the original game, meaning Sakai and his friends have long passed away. According to the blog, Sucker Punch wanted to create a new experience with the "Ghost" motif.

So, while Sakai won't be in the game, the franchise's central theme of a "Ghost" will continue. This might disappoint some who hoped to continue his story, but it allows Sucker Punch to tell different stories from all over Japan featuring a new Ghost.

Sucker Punch believes one of the core strengths of the original Tsushima was the wandering samurai in Feudal Japan. That, along with the freedom to explore the world at your own pace, and a focus on the beauty of Japan, make the franchise a success. Atsu's journey will touch all of those pillars in the same way that Jin's did. As for the game itself, Sucker Punch confirms it's the studio's first title built from the ground up for the PS5. The team mentioned "massive sightlines," as well as "even more believable movement from wind on grass and vegetation" in the blog, along with new gameplay mechanics. It's a fascinating approach by Sucker Punch, and in a world filled with sequels, it'll be nice to experience similar mechanics within a new self-contained journey. Given how amazing Sucker Punch's previous protagonists have been (Sly, Cole, Jin Sakai), there's no doubt that Atsu will be just as impressive. 2025 truly can't come soon enough.