Sony has confirmed Ghost of Yōtei releases on October 2, 2025.
Sucker Punch’s PlayStation 5 exclusive sequel also has a new trailer that introduces the Yōtei Six — gang members protagonist Atsu has sworn to hunt down — as well a new gameplay mechanic that lets players “glimpse Atsu’s past and understand everything that was taken from her.”
In a post on the PlayStation Blog, Sucker Punch senior communications manager Andrew Goldfarb described the game’s story.
“16 years ago in the heart of Ezo (called Hokkaido in present day), a gang of outlaws known as the Yōtei Six took everything from Atsu. They killed her family and left her for dead, pinned to a burning ginkgo tree outside her home. But Atsu survived. She learned to fight, to kill, and to hunt, and after years away she has returned to her home with a list of six names: 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.”
Ghost of Yōtei comes to PS5 on 2nd October.
New trailer introduces the Yōtei Six — gang members Atsu has sworn to hunt down: https://t.co/oTQQcKXxoz pic.twitter.com/UuPNFUlqZq
— PlayStation Europe (@PlayStationEU) April 23, 2025
By releasing Ghost of Yōtei in October, Sony is potentially running up against the all-consuming Grand Theft Auto 6, which is still down to release fall 2025. But Rockstar has yet to announce a firm release date for its surefire smash hit, and clearly Sony felt it needed to make an announcement now rather than wait any longer.
The trailer is heavy on story set-up and cutscenes, but there’s a decent dollop of gameplay too. We see the gorgeous environments and Atsu’s travel through them on horseback, as well as greusome combat.
Sucker Punch’s goal is to give players more control over Atsu’s story compared to the first game. Creative director Jason Connell had said that one of the changes compared to Ghost of Tsushima will be a less repetitive open world: “One challenge that comes with making an open-world game is the repetitive nature of doing the same thing over again,” Connell said. “We wanted to balance against that and find unique experiences.”
Now we know what this means. According to Goldfarb, players choose which leads to follow as they pick which Yōtei Six member they want to hunt down first. Atsu can also track other dangerous targets and claim bounties, or seek out weapon sensei to learn new skills.
“Ezo is wild, and as deadly as it is beautiful,” Goldfarb continued. “As you trek across the open world you’ll find unexpected dangers and peaceful reprieves (including some returning activities from Tsushima), and you’ll be able to build a campfire anywhere in the open world for a rest under the stars. We want you to have the freedom to explore Ezo however you decide to, and we can’t wait to share more.”
New weapon types include ōdachi, kusarigama, and dual katanas, and there are “massive sightlines that let you look far across the environment, skies of twinkling stars and auroras, and vegetation that sways believably in the wind,” as well as “enhanced performance and visuals on PlayStation 5 Pro.”
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
