Out of everything I had on my bingo card (including the hopes for a Bloodborne Remaster), I was not expecting a new game in the now “Ghosts” franchise. While there were rumors and gossip about a Ghost of Tsushima 2, we instead got a trailer for Ghost of Yotei, which is a brilliant strategy on Sucker Punch’s part. While I’m sure many wanted to see what happened with Jin Sakai after the game’s ending, this is a much better approach as it leaves Jin’s story untouched and paves the way for a new protagonist in another interesting period in Japan.
During the recent State of Play, Sony left its biggest reveal to the end. Ghost of Yotei is the next entry in the franchise, which takes a leap in terms of its setting and takes players to the Edo period in 1603. For the unaware, Ghost of Tsushima takes place in 1274, meaning that a Ghost of Tsushima 2 would be almost impossible due to the 329-year difference. Furthermore, the fact that Sucker Punch is aiming for a franchise of sorts means there might be even more time periods to explore down the line. Yet, I’m speculating way ahead of time.
Ghost of Tsushima 2 Would’ve Been a Bigger Risk
Let me clarify something: I loved Jin Sakai’s story. Back when Ghost of Tsushima launched, I was enamored by everything it had. From its wonderful landscapes to the cinematic combat and its engaging side activities, everything was flawless. While I wanted a Ghost of Tsushima 2, Ghost of Yotei makes more sense.
Think about it: Ghost of Tsushima‘s ending, or rather, endings, paints different scenarios. In any of the situations, Jin Sakai has finished telling his story. Yes, one could argue that one of the endings opens the road for a direct sequel, but doing so would’ve been risky. We’ve seen many sequels that undermine the previous story or fall flat and never hit the high notes of the prequel. But an entirely new game set in the same universe is terrific.
On the other hand, I’m also excited to see a new face take the mantle of the “Ghost.” While there isn’t a lot of information yet, the reveal trailer piqued my curiosity. If my knowledge doesn’t fail me, the Edo period was relatively peaceful, at least compared to Tsushima‘s setting. So, I can’t even imagine what struggles Atsu will face when the game launches in 2025.
At the same time, this was a strategic tactic by Sony, as the Ghost of Yotei trailer premiered after the PS5 Pro’s game showcase. So far, we don’t have many new titles coming to this console, but thanks to the track record that Sucker Punch has, many might consider getting the PS5 Pro now.
Still, there’s plenty of time before that happens, and we still have to see how Ghost of Yotei plays. But if Tsushima taught us anything is that Sucker Punch can deliver some of the most stunning and immersive gaming worlds accompanied by a wonderful story and superb combat. Hopefully, Yotei will give us that and more.
