Ghost of Yōtei: PlayStation Aims to Reclaim its Blockbuster Throne
PlayStation is looking to recapture its glory days of single-player, story-driven blockbusters with its latest release, Ghost of Yōtei. This comes after concerns from both fans and critics about a perceived drought of major in-house releases following 2023's Spider-Man 2. The game is a return to the triple-A format that defined Sony's console success.
The Wait is Over: Inside Ghost of Yōtei's Development
Sucker Punch Productions', the studio behind the game, released Ghost of Tsushima in 2020. The new title is a follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima, but moves the action to the Honshū region of Japan in 1603. BBC Newsbeat spoke with Nate Fox, a creative director at Sucker Punch, about the development process and the reasons behind the lengthy wait.
According to Fox, "Games do take a long time to make, so it's no small chunk of your life." He explained that while Ghost of Yōtei builds upon the foundation of its predecessor, introducing a new protagonist, Atsu, a female warrior seeking revenge against the Yōtei Six, is still a significant undertaking.
Even with a previous game to build on, creating a new character requires extensive collaboration between writers, animators, and character designers. The sheer scale of a large game production can be staggering. While Sucker Punch has approximately 200 employees, the credits for Ghost of Tsushima included roughly 1,800 names. The collaborative nature of game development requires diverse skills and careful coordination. As Fox states, "Making a video game requires all sorts of different skills, from incredibly technical people... to people who are very driven by emotions, like our writing staff...And these teams work in co-ordination. It's like conducting an orchestra."
Sony's Shifting Strategies and Course Correction
In recent years, under previous leadership, PlayStation explored the "live-service" game model, focusing on online multiplayer titles. While games like Helldivers II found success, others, such as Concord, failed. Sony has since cancelled multiplayer projects based on popular series like God of War and The Last of Us, admitting that its multiplayer strategy hasn't been entirely "going smoothly."
The company's recent promotional showcase emphasized single-player experiences, including Saros (a sequel to Returnal) and the highly anticipated Wolverine game from Insomniac Games. This pivot back towards single-player games suggests a renewed focus on what made PlayStation a success.
Navigating Controversy and Managing Expectations
High-profile releases often attract controversy, as Sucker Punch experienced with the firing of an employee who made a controversial joke. The studio's founder, Brian Fleming, stated that "celebrating or making light of someone's murder is a deal-breaker for us." Additionally, some online figures criticized Ghost of Yōtei for featuring a female protagonist. Fox described the choice as "unconventional" but integral to the story, portraying Atsu as an underdog defying expectations, her reputation growing as an Onryō, a vengeful spirit.
The pressure to deliver a compelling experience is immense, especially with the longer development cycles. Fox acknowledges these expectations, stating, "Certainly there's a lot of expectation that games will be beautiful and emotionally compelling...And that pressure definitely gets us going, but it's nothing compared to the pressure we put on ourselves."
