Ghost of Yotei is the upcoming sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, and Sucker Punch Productions has finally revealed the release date and a special gameplay deep dive.
During PlayStation’s September 2024 State of Play, fans were given their first look at Ghost of Yotei — the hotly anticipated sequel to the award-winning Ghost of Tsushima. Yotei leaves the war-ravaged lands of Tsushima behind and sets its sights on the beautiful vistas of the Hokkaido region – an area known for its outstanding beauty.
It’s not just the new setting that armchair samurai can look forward to adventuring through, as Sucker Punch Productions has revealed details about its new protagonist Atsu. We also have information about Yotei’s gameplay, trailers, and the long-awaited release date.
Ghost of Yotei release date
As confirmed via the PlayStation X account, Ghost of Yotei will be released on October 2, 2025.
State of Play
The Ghost of Yotei State of Play will stream on PlayStation’s Twitch and YouTube channels on July 10 at 2pm PT / 5pm ET / 10pm BST / 11pm CEST.
It will feature nearly 20 minutes of gameplay and will hosted by Sucker Punch’s Creative Directors, Jason Connell and Nate Fox. The official PlayStation Blog post states that players will get to see new weapons, special modes, and much more.
Trailers
The Onryo’s List trailer
The Onryo’s List trailer, released on April 23, introduces the Yotei Six — lawless gang members Atsu has sworn to hunt down.
Announcement trailer
Ghost of Yotei’s first trailer premiered on September 24, 2024. The footage was largely cinematic, introducing fans to the new setting, landscapes, and protagonist.
Setting: When & where does it take place?
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 aforementioned 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.”
The blog notes 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 player experience.
Story details
Ghost of Yotei’s story revolves around Atsu’s pursuit of the Yotei Six. These gang members killed her family and left her for dead, pinned to a burning ginkgo tree outside her home. The official blog post mentions that Atsu learned to fight to claim her revenge over The Snake, The Oni, The Kitsune, The Spider, The Dragon, and Lord Saito.
“One by one, she’s hunting them down to avenge her family, armed with the same katana used to pin her to that burning tree all those years ago. But while Atsu’s story begins with vengeance, she’ll find there’s more to her journey than just revenge. As she explores Ezo, Atsu will meet unlikely allies and forge connections that help give her a new sense of purpose.”
It’s since been confirmed that Atsu will be able to track down the Yotei Six in any order, making it a somewhat non-linear experience as players pick and choose which targets to prioritize.
New protagonist Atsu
Ghost of Yotei is set in a different historical 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.”
An update to Ghost of Yotei’s PlayStation game page reveals that Atsu will “rise from the ashes of her homestead” and go on a revenge quest to “hunt down those responsible for the death of her family.”
Whatever coin she earns from accepting odd jobs and bounties will go a long way in ensuring she’s prepared for the journey ahead.
The announcement trailer has already shown 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.
Erika Ishii cast as Atsu
Sucker Punch also confirmed 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 voiced characters in other major video game franchises as well, including Halo, Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot, and many more.
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 a huge aspect of combat, the reveal 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 constitute just one of the unique gameplay features added to the sequel.
Fear not, though, for while the game will aim to “innovate” on systems found in Ghost of Tsushima, the devs have promised to “create something fresh but familiar” for Yotei.
Beyond that, we know the 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 studio is looking to “balance against that and find unique experiences” with the sequel.
Ghost of Yotei also promises to offer even more freedom, giving players the ability to choose which leads to follow as you pick which Yotei Six member you want to hunt down first. Additionally, Atsu can also track other dangerous targets to claim bounties or seek out a weapon master to learn new skills.
The blog post also notes that you’ll be able to build a campfire anywhere in the open world — a first for the samurai series.
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