Summary
Last night’s State of Play closed withthe announcement of a Ghost of Tushima sequel. Set 300 years after the events of the first game, Yotei follows new protagonist Atsu in the titular Mount Yotei region.It’s a completely fresh start, stepping away from Jin Sakai, but with the time period and setting alone, fans might have figured out what the story will be.
“In 1590, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, one of the three unifiers of Japan, commissioned the Matsumae clan to take over the island of Hokkaido, occupied by the Ainu people, and defend it against what he saw as barbarians holding back the unification of the country,“explained one Reddit user.
Japan only recognised the Ainu as indigenous people in 2019 (as reported byCNN).
“The Matsumae clan built their fortress south of the Oshima peninsula, then moved north to establish trading posts. This colonisation involved the massacre of all Ainu who opposed the Samurai advance. The game is set in 1603, on Mount Yotei in the heart of the Oshima peninsula. I think that’s where our heroine comes in.”
Where Does Atsu Come In?
The first Ainu war against the Matsumae didn’t take place until 1669. In fact, the game takes place the year before the Matsumae even began trading with the Ainu, which was a huge turning point in Ainu history as it marked the the moment in which other Japanese clans stopped trading with them altogether.
Rich in natural resources, the Matsumae clan spent the next few centuries violently expanding into Ainu territory to take exclusive control, erecting trading posts and fishing stations while forcing the indigenous population to become labourers (as reported byHokkkaido Wilds).
Given that we’re stepping foot into this region in 1603, long before the first major conflict, fans speculate that we will play the role of a Ronin in a “frozen Wild West” against the mercenaries and bandits profiting off of Japanese colonisation. Many viewers already likened the trailer to a Western, which is fitting given how much the genre is inspired by Samurai movies.
Rather than fighting a major conflict, defending the island from invaders, perhaps Atsu will wander from town to town, helping the Ainu in their struggle against the Matsumae advances. Instead of standing for Japan against theMongols, Atsu would stand for the indigenous people. It’s a compelling idea, one that already has weight, but we’ll have to wait for Sucker Punch to divulge more details before we can say for certain.
Ghost of Yotei
WHERE TO PLAY
Discover a bold, new story of a warrior in Japan who is on a mission of vengeance all her own.Set 300 years after the critically acclaimed Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yōtei is standalone experience set in 1600s rural Japan. The story follows a haunted, lone mercenary named Atsu. Thirsty for revenge, she travels through the beautiful, rugged landscapes of northern Japan, hunting those who killed her family many years earlier.
