Ghost of Yotei Creative Directors Share New Gameplay and ‘Non-Linear’ Campaign Details

In a recent interview, Ghost of Yotei co-creative directors Nate Fox and Jason Cornell reveal new gameplay details for the game, including a non-linear campaign. Following the Ghost of Yotei announcement trailer in 2024, news had been fairly scarce on Sucker Punch’s upcoming title, though that seems to have changed following the release date confirmation.

While fans had been starving for new information on the next Sucker Punch title, the developer has seemingly entered a new phase of development following the release date confirmation for Ghost of Yotei. With the game set to finally launch in October, new game details have started to pop up, giving players a better understanding of the protagonist, Atsu, and what her ultimate goal will be inside the game. Alongside the story, the studio is sharing new gameplay details which aim to shake up the franchise.

In an interview with the Japanese magazine Famitsu, Sucker Punch’s Jason Cornell and Nate Fox discussed more details surrounding Ghost of Yotei. As players have seen from a recent PlayStation store description of Ghost of Yotei, the protagonist Atsu is out for revenge against a group called the Yotei Six. In a first for the franchise, players will experience a non-linear campaign and be able to go after the Yotei Six in any order as well as utilize new close-quarters weapons like the kusarigama. In addition, Sucker Punch has said the map is the biggest one the studio has ever made.

Sucker Punch Advises on Depiction of Ainu People and Culture

Similar to Ghost of Tsushima, both Fox and Cornell traveled to Japan to not only research the area, but work with advisors on how best to depict the Ainu people and culture, which is a large region that incorporates modern-day Hokkaido. Cornell was introduced to museums and folk crafts, while also traveling to the mountains to experience picking wild vegetables. While the pair have already been made Tourism Ambassadors for Tsushima Island, this additional research on the Ainu people will likely help avoid any similar controversies Ubisoft experienced while developing Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Even though Ghost of Yotei is still months away, there seems to be excitement swelling with fans. In addition to the impressive footage showcased in the release date trailer, former PlayStation and Sony executive Shuhei Yoshida heaped plenty of praise on Ghost of Yotei. Yoshida was impressed at how Sucker Punch is able to make their games feel so natural and intuitive, while also delivering a playable and bug-free experience even in early development phases. He mentioned that Ghost of Yotei always felt great to play and the game’s producer would always want his feedback whenever he visited the studio.