Hokkaido's Yotei: Deadly Beauty

Sucker Punch, developers of Ghost of Yōtei, explain why Hokkaido serves as the game's primary setting. Discover how they recreated Hokkaido in-game and their experiences from research trips to Japan.

Ghost of Yōtei Featuring Hokkaido as Its Primary Location

Creating Authenticity Through Real-World Inspirations

Ghost of Yōtei continues Sucker Punch's tradition of recreating real Japanese locations, this time focusing on Ezo (modern-day Hokkaido). In a May 15 PlayStation Blog post, Game Director Nate Fox detailed the team's selection process for protagonist Atsu's journey through this northern island.

Sucker Punch has proven experience bringing authentic Japanese landscapes to life, having masterfully recreated Tsushima Island in the first Ghost game. Their work earned praise from Japanese critics and even led to Fox and Creative Director Jason Connell being named ambassadors of the actual Tsushima island for their cultural representation.

In 2021, Tsushima Mayor Naoki Hitakatsu honored their work, stating: "Many Japanese people don't know Genko period history. Globally, Tsushima remains largely unknown. We're deeply grateful for their stunning visuals and meaningful storytelling that shares our history."

The team approaches Ghost of Yōtei with the same respectful representation they gave Tsushima. Their goal remains consistent: "To deliver authenticity and believability in our fictional narrative."

Fox explained Hokkaido's selection: "Its breathtaking beauty and status as Japan's frontier in 1603 made it ideal for Atsu's revenge tale." He added, "For ghost stories, dramatic settings are essential."

Balancing Beauty With Peril

Fox described their two research trips to Japan as career highlights. Visiting Shiretoko National Park revealed nature's dual character - stunning vistas coexisting with dangerous wildlife.

"That perfect blend of beauty and danger became our creative touchstone," Fox noted. "The moment we experienced this, we knew Hokkaido was right for our game."

The team also studied Mt. Yōtei, sacred to Hokkaido's indigenous Ainu people who call it "Machineshir" (Female Mountain). For developers, the mountain became symbolic of both Hokkaido's spirit and Atsu's lost family.

Fox reflected: "Engaging with locals and developing new concepts made our Japan trip incredibly rewarding." As non-Japanese creators, they acknowledge cultural knowledge gaps and plan to address these thoughtfully.

Ghost of Yōtei marks Sucker Punch's largest project to date, generating significant anticipation. The game launches October 2, 2025 exclusively on PlayStation 5. For ongoing updates, check our coverage below.