Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima is a stunning spectacle of realistic and fantastical elements, all of which are combined into a fictional rendition of 1274 Tsushima Island. Ghost of Yōtei, on the other hand, takes place almost 300 years later, set in 1603 Hokkaido. Creative Director Nate Fox explains that the setting was chosen due to how beauty and danger coexisted during the era.
In an interview with PlayStation.Blog, Fox talks about the two research trips he and a team of Sucker Punch developers conducted in Hokkaido for Ghost of Yōtei. While taking in the beautiful sights of Shiretoko National Park, the team noticed several trees with bear claw marks. A sense of fear quickly mixed in with the wonder of exploration, leading to a unique feeling that the team wanted players to experience when playing Ghost of Yōtei.
Another defining moment was when the team came across the towering Mount Yōtei, the game’s titular mountain. Called “Machineshiri” (Woman’s Mountain) by the indigenous Ainu people, the local name brought about images of the protagonist, Atsu, and her story of loss and revenge.
Back in 1603 (when the game is set), Hokkaido and its neighboring islands were collectively known as “Ezo” – a cold and relatively uninhabited land where only a few dared venture. Given Atsu’s mission to kill those who murdered her family and her growing legend as the Ghost of Yōtei, the team found it fitting to set the game in Hokkaido.
In addition to research, the Sucker Punch team also consulted various cultural advisors and local Ainu people to make the game as authentic and inspired by history as possible. Though Ghost of Yōtei takes liberties when it comes to historical authenticity like its predecessor does, it is all in the name of entertainment.
Ghost of Yotei is set to release on October 2, 2025, for PlayStation 5.
