Sucker Punch Productions and Sony returned to the spotlight during July’s State of Play presentation with an in-depth look at Ghost of Yōtei, the highly anticipated follow up to Ghost of Tsushima. The showcase, which aired on July 10, 2025, delivered nearly 20 minutes of gameplay, world-building, and new feature reveals cementing Ghost of Yōtei as one of the most ambitious PlayStation 5 exclusives of the year.
Here are all the biggest highlights from the event:
A New Ghost Rises – Meet Atsu
Set in the year 1603 in Ezo (modern-day Hokkaido), Ghost of Yōtei introduces players to Atsu, a wandering ronin with a haunting past. After surviving the brutal slaughter of her family at the hands of the enigmatic Yōtei Six, Atsu becomes an onryō a vengeful spirit in the eyes of the people and begins a bloody journey of retribution.
Unlike Jin Sakai’s internal struggle between Honor and practicality, Atsu fully embraces myth and fear. She’s not just fighting warlords she’s crafting her own legend, blending historical realism with eerie folklore.
A Vast, Untamed Open World
The open-world structure builds upon the foundations of Tsushima, but expands the formula significantly. Inspired in part by the exploration philosophy of Elden Ring, Ghost of Yōtei offers a world teeming with discovery. Mount Yōtei looms in the distance, acting as a navigational landmark while villages, forests, and bandit strongholds populate the map.
Traversal tools like the grappling hook return, now paired with animal companions including a wolf that aids Atsu in combat and tracking.
Fluid, Filmic Combat
Combat in Ghost of Yōtei has taken a cinematic leap forward. Atsu wields dual katanas, a heavy ōdachi blade, and a brutal kusarigama, allowing for creative combo chains and stealth assassinations. The animation work leans heavily into samurai film choreography, with smooth dodges, parries, and dismemberment.
The developers emphasized that fighting styles are adaptable, encouraging players to mix ghost tactics, swordplay, and psychological warfare.
Cinematic Modes Inspired by Japanese Legends
Following the success of Kurosawa Mode in Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yōtei introduces three distinct cinematic filters:
- Kurosawa Mode – Returns with black-and-white visuals, film grain, and traditional Japanese VO.
- Takashi Miike Mode – Gritty, blood-soaked close-quarters presentation evoking yakuza and horror cinema.
- Shinichirō Watanabe Mode – Relaxed exploration with lo-fi music, perfect for taking in the atmosphere between fights.
These filters aren’t just visual they come with curated soundtracks and pacing adjustments, making each run feel uniquely stylized.
Expanded Photo Mode & Collector’s Hardware
Sucker Punch is doubling down on immersion. The photo mode offers more robust options for scene staging, including dynamic lighting, weather control, and companion placement.
To celebrate the release, Sony is launching a limited-edition PS5 console and DualSense controller themed around Ghost of Yōtei, featuring stylized engravings of Mount Yōtei and Atsu’s wolf companion.
Release Date
Ghost of Yōtei launches exclusively for PlayStation 5 on October 2, 2025, and looks to be one of the generation’s most cinematic experiences. With a deeply personal story, refined open-world design, and a clear reverence for Japanese film, Sucker Punch may be poised to surpass their own legendary debut with Ghost of Tsushima.
Ghost of Yōtei is a evolution of the samurai action genre with supernatural style and emotional substance.
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