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Sept. 24, 2024 - Sucker Punch Productions has announced Ghost of Yōtei, the sequel to their massively successful 2020 game Ghost of Tsushima.
First shown off during today's State of Play presentation, Ghost of Yōtei served as the endcap of the showing. Fans of Ghost of Tsushima have been waiting for some time for a sequel announcement, but today's reveal was surprising in more ways than one.
To start, the announcement was relatively unexpected. While there were some rumblings that a sequel was in the works, we had little info on the timing or nature of that sequel. Second,Yōtei has a new protagonist in Atsu, with the studio moving on fromTsushima's Jin Sakai. It's the second point that is drawing the ire of many online.
It should not be too surprising that the new game will not star Jin, as the plot of Tsushima was neatly concluded and Jin's own character arc was resolved. Much of the pushback has been related to the fact that Atsu, portrayed by the actress Erika Ishii, is a woman. We don't currently know if Atsu is related to Jin at all, or if the plots of the games are in any way tied together.
Unfortunately, the inclusion of Atsu has caused consternation among the right-wing gaming space, with many throwing around words like "Woke" or "DEI", as if they were at all legitimate criticisms. Ishii herself is now facing harassment online from those who are upset at the change. This backlash is not a surprising development, as online spaces over the last few years have seen a growth in right-wing talking points and harassment campaigns - egged on by Russian propaganda campaigns. Outside of the right-wing gaming space, the announcement has been met with excitement for the game and everyone involved.
Despite the predictable nature of this backlash, I can't help but feel disgusted. Ishii and Sucker Punch deserve better than this type of vitriol. I sincerely hope it dies down in the lead-up of the game's release.
Ghost of Yōtei is set to release sometime in 2025.
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