Ghost Of Yotei Is Getting Vegetable Foraging

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As a dedicated fan, I’ve often pondered about the criticisms levied against Sucker Punch Studio, Washington-based creators, suggesting they might not fully grasp the essence of the Japanese experience when developing games. However, it seems the studio has taken these comments to heart and has been meticulously researching ways to portray a historically authentic yet fictionalized Japan in their work. This deep dive even inspired the creation of an innovative game mechanic: foraging for vegetables!

In a post about their research trip to Japan, co-creative director Nate Fox acknowledged that Sucker Punch, being an American company, doesn’t inherently possess the cultural understanding needed to authentically portray feudal Japan. To bridge this gap, they sought assistance. Fortunately, being part of PlayStation, they benefited from consistent feedback from their colleagues in Tokyo during the development of Ghost of Tsushima. In a similar vein, for Ghost of Yotei, they’ve expanded their team of advisers.

I recently posted a collection of snaps from our adventure to Hokkaido, Japan’s second-largest island, as part of our quest to authentically depict the culture in Ghost of Yotei. We interacted with an Ainu cultural expert, hiked a mountain, and gathered edibles along the way.

That evening, Fox decided to include gathering resources as a feature in our latest game. He wished to recreate the unique experience he had, which luckily fell into our hands, for the players to enjoy.

Fox shared information about their trips to the Oshima Peninsula, the Nibutani Ainu Museum, and Nikko Toshogu Shrine. They made it clear that although they aim to portray authentic aspects of Japanese culture in their work, what they create will be purely fictional.

In a fictitious manner, our portrayal of Hokkaido mirrors reality, but it’s based on genuine experiences that we aim to authentically replicate, as Fox put it.

On October 2, the ethereal figure of Yotei will make its debut on PlayStation 5. Until then, delve into TopMob’s video to understand how Atsu’s tale in Ghost of Yotei might be a contrast to Jin’s saga from Ghost of Tsushima.

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2025-06-18 23:09