Last Updated on Sep 9, 2025 @ 11:30:16 AM.
Ghost of Yotei is right around the corner, and the developers over at Sucker Punch Productions are making their rounds to promote the game. Interviews are an excellent way for players to know more about the upcoming game, and an opportunity for developers to inspire fellow developers. The original game was literally a breath of fresh air, and Nate Fox urges his colleagues to elevate this genre.
Fox worked on the first game, and it introduced a unique way to navigate a large world by following the gust of wind. In the sequel, it is back and much more refined, but this does not stop the director from urging fellow developers to take a page from their book for future projects. Innovation is essential for game development, and it can inspire players to trust themselves more without staring at a map.
Ghost of Yotei Could Inspire Other Game Developers To Trust the Players More in Terms of Exploration
In a recent interview, Nate Fox took the hot seat and answered a flurry of questions about the upcoming Ghost of Tsushima sequel. The gaming community fell in love with the first game for a few reasons, from world-building, exploration, combat, music, and story. In the sequel, Sucker Punch Productions aims to improve and offer players more freedom to explore without having to rely on a navigation system or UI.
The story of the Ghost of Yotei follows Atsu’s quest for revenge as she hunts down the Yotei Six. While the world map is confirmed to be as big as the first game, this would also mean that there are plenty of secrets to uncover. Fox then took the opportunity to encourage other game developers to take inspiration from their Guiding Wind system to elevate the open-world genre of gaming.
“I hope other developers find excellent ways to let people look into the game world, to find out where they want to go instead of looking at UI.”
While the video game counterpart of Tsushima is not entirely accurate to the real-world version, chances are Sucker Punch Productions added more to make the world feel lively. The Guiding Wind was an innovative way to get around the world, and it is back and better in Ghost of Yotei through music integration.
Music will help Atsu find new places to visit through her shamisen, and it is a diegetic way to innovate the already visually pleasing navigation system. Sucker Punch Productions didn’t go the same route as most open-world game developers, where players can plot out courses for travelling, and integrated the game’s world visuals for players to have the full Ghost of Yotei experience.
Ghost of Yotei will be released on October 2, 2025, exclusively on the PlayStation 5.
For more Thumb Wars coverage, check out Square Enix’s latest update for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3, and Sandfall Interactive being open for a Nintendo Switch 2 port for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Otherwise, follow Thumb Wars on X, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram to keep up with the latest news, reviews, and interviews.
Rouvin Josef Quirimit is a Content Writer, an avid gamer (on his PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch), and film enthusiast. He was fortunate to grow up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe and was enamored by the storytelling of a shared universe full of heart and spectacle. His love for movies led him to great single-player games and he intends to cover major franchises for years to come!
