- Release Date & Times: Ghost of Yōtei will launch globally on October 2, 2025 (midnight local time) [1]. Players on the U.S. West Coast get early access on Oct 1 at 9:00 PM PDT, with Mountain and Central regions following at 10:00 PM and 11:00 PM (Oct 1) respectively [2]. By Eastern Time (10:00 PM ET Oct 1), everyone will be at midnight local time. In short, most of the world unlocks Yōtei at midnight on Oct. 2, with U.S. Pacific players playing from the evening of Oct. 1 [3] [4].
- PS5 Exclusive & File Size: Sony and Sucker Punch confirm Yōtei is a PlayStation 5 exclusive [5]. The game’s download is roughly 85 GB, and a mandatory day-one patch (version 1.006) must be installed before play [6] [7]. Pre-load is already available on the PlayStation Store, so eager fans can download the full game in advance [8].
- Atsu’s Story & Setting: The sequel shifts focus to new hero Atsu, a lone mercenary in Edo-period Japan (the old name Ezo, modern Hokkaido) [9]. Sixteen years before the game begins, a gang called the “Yōtei Six” massacred Atsu’s family and left her for dead [10] [11]. Atsu survived, learned to fight, and returned home with a revenge list: “The Snake, The Oni, The Kitsune, The Spider, The Dragon, and Lord Saito” [12] [13]. The player can hunt those targets in any order, armed with the very katana once used against her [14]. (For context, Ghost of Tsushima was set in 1274 and starred Jin Sakai; Yōtei takes place over 300 years later, after a period of peace in the Edo era [15] [16].)
- Gameplay & Features: Yōtei keeps Ghost of Tsushima’s open-world action/adventure style but expands it heavily. As EgamersWorld reports, Atsu can use new weapons – katana, spears, dual blades and even early firearms – giving players more combat options than ever [17]. The developers say they’ve “built upon and evolved the way you explore the open world, offering even more freedom and variety than in Ghost of Tsushima” [18]. For example, the game adds bounty-hunting targets to track, campfires to rest and fast-travel, and a spyglass for scouting the horizon [19]. A recent trailer also teased a time-travel mechanic that lets players “glimpse Atsu’s past”, integrating her memories into gameplay [20]. In short, Sucker Punch promises a vast Ezo wilderness full of sakura forests, allies to meet, and dangerous foes – all while giving the player choice in how to pursue each revenge mission [21] [22].
- Editions & Pre-Orders: Sony opened pre-orders on May 2, 2025 (10:00 AM local time) [23]. Three editions are offered: Standard ($69.99), Digital Deluxe ($79.99), and a Collector’s Edition ($249.99) [24] [25]. All pre-orders (any edition) include a unique in-game Ghost mask and a set of avatars featuring Atsu and the Yōtei Six [26]. The Digital Deluxe adds digital bonuses (extra armor, a special horse and saddle, dyes and more [27]). The Collector’s Edition is loaded with physical goodies: a 6.8″ resin ghost mask, a ceremonial sash and sword guard (tsuba), a papercraft ginkgo tree, art cards, a Zeni Hajiki coin game set, and other merch [28]. (Notably, the Collector’s Edition does not include a physical disc of the game.) Sony is also selling a limited-edition Ghost of Yōtei PS5 console ($599.99) and matching DualSense controller ($84.99) with Japanese-inspired artwork [29].
- Multiplayer DLC: Ghost of Yōtei will ship as a single-player experience, but fans of Tsushima’s co-op will be pleased to know Legends Mode is returning. Sucker Punch announced at Gamescom 2025 that a new Legends Mode (two story missions plus four-player survival) is planned for post-launch [30]. Sony has confirmed this update will be a free DLC, targeted for release in 2026 [31] [32]. (Like its predecessor, Yōtei is currently slated as a console exclusive – any eventual PC release would likely come years later, if at all [33].)
Release Date & Global Launch Times
Sony and developer Sucker Punch officially announced in April 2025 that Ghost of Yōtei hits PS5 on October 2, 2025 [34]. As GamesHub notes, that means most players will see the game unlock at 12:00 AM on Oct. 2, but U.S. west-coast players get an earlier start. Specifically, the global launch schedule is: Sep 30, 2025 – 9:00 PM PDT (Oct. 1) for Pacific Time; 10:00 PM MT; 11:00 PM CT; and 12:00 AM EDT (Oct. 2) [35] [36]. Meanwhile Europe, Japan, Australia and other regions all go live at midnight local time on Oct. 2 [37] [38]. In practice this means a rolling release (Pacific first, then eastward across time zones) – a system similar to other AAA launches.
Sony also confirmed a day-one patch is mandatory at launch. According to EgamersWorld, digital copies will require version 1.006 to play; disc buyers must install that update before starting the game [39]. The patch is significant (improving performance and adding some final touches), but thankfully players can pre-load it in advance. In fact, the full Yōtei download (~85 GB) is available now on PSN, so owners can download the entire game ahead of time and jump straight in when the clock strikes midnight [40] [41].
Story and Setting – Atsu vs. the Yōtei Six
Like Ghost of Tsushima (2020), Yōtei is an open-world samurai tale set in feudal Japan – but this time in 1603, over 300 years after Jin Sakai’s story. The new hero is Atsu, a haunted young mercenary. A 2025 PlayStation Blog reveals Atsu’s grim backstory: as a child in the wilderness of Ezo (Hokkaido), her family was slaughtered by a gang of six outlaws known as the Yōtei Six [42] [43]. These criminals killed her family and left her for dead, pinned to a burning ginkgo tree outside her home. Amazingly Atsu survived; after years training as a warrior, she returns home with a hit list of those six names: The Snake, The Oni, The Kitsune, The Spider, The Dragon, and Lord Saito [44] [45].
By launch, Atsu’s entire quest is one of bloody vengeance. A new trailer (titled “The Onryō’s List”) shows her systematically tracking and assassinating each member of the Yōtei Six in any order the player chooses. She wields the same katana that once pinned her to the tree, symbolically turning the knife on her foes [46]. Developer Sucker Punch hints that while Yōtei begins as a revenge story, Atsu’s journey will evolve: as the PlayStation blog teases, “she’ll find there’s more to her journey than just revenge,” forming new alliances and purposes along the way [47]. For authenticity, the team worked with cultural advisers and visited historic Japanese sites to faithfully recreate Edo-period Ezo [48]. Fans can also recognize Atsu’s voice actress: Erika Ishii (known for roles in Apex Legends and Destiny 2) portrays Atsu’s dual identity as a feared onryō (“vengeful ghost”) [49] [50].
Gameplay and Features – Tsushima, Plus More
Mechanically, Ghost of Yōtei builds heavily on its predecessor but adds many new elements. Sucker Punch says they have “built upon and evolved the way you explore the open world, offering even more freedom and variety than in Ghost of Tsushima” [51]. One big change is weapon variety: in addition to Jin’s katana and tools, Atsu can equip spears, dual blades, and even early firearms [52]. Ghost of Yōtei will thus include gunplay – a first for the series [53] [54]. This means players can mix sword combat with stealthy shots or firefights, giving far more tactical options than before.
Exploration is likewise expanded. The game world around Mt. Yōtei is “wild, and as deadly as it is beautiful” [55], full of Sakura forests, dangerous wildlife, and enemy camps. Players can set up campfires anywhere to rest and fast-travel, patrol with a new spyglass, and choose which legends and side-quests to pursue. The Yōtei Six targets act like bounty missions – the system even includes a clue card mechanic (revealed in a deep dive) where discovering clues can unlock new adventures or abilities. Notably, the June 2025 State of Play footage showed a “time rewind” feature: when Atsu returns to her ruined home, the game pauses and the scene plays in reverse, letting the player “glimpse Atsu’s past” [56]. In short, every returning Ghost of Tsushima mechanic (stealth kills, katana duels, dyeable armor, etc.) is present, plus a host of new tools and systems to encourage creative play.
According to PS blog communications lead Andrew Goldfarb, the goal was player choice above all. He writes: “We want you to have the freedom to explore Ezo however you decide to” [57], whether that means stalking enemies from the trees or rushing in head-on. EgamersWorld sums it up: Yōtei keeps Tsushima’s open-world framework but “expands it with new mechanics… designed to give players greater freedom and variety than before” [58]. In other words, Ghost of Yōtei aims to be a darker, deeper feudal sandbox – more toybox, less on-rails – than the first game.
Editions, Pre-Orders, and Bonuses
Sony has laid out a traditional release plan. Pre-orders for all editions opened on May 2, 2025 (10:00 AM local time) [59], both at retail and on the PlayStation Store. Every pre-order (even the cheapest Standard Edition) comes with the exclusive digital goodies: Atsu-themed avatars and a decorative “Ghost” mask that characters can wear in-game [60]. The Standard Edition is priced at $69.99 USD [61]. A Digital Deluxe version ($79.99) bundles several in-game bonuses: The Snake’s unique armor set, alternate dye for your starting armor, a special horse and saddle color, and other consumables [62].
For collectors, Sony is releasing an extravagant Collector’s Edition for $249.99 [63]. It includes everything in the Digital Deluxe, plus a physical swag box. According to PlayStation, the Collector’s Edition contains a resin Ghost Mask (modeled after Jin’s mask from Tsushima), a ceremonial sash and tsuba (sword guard), a foldable papercraft ginkgo tree with a wolf figurine, a pouch of coins (Zeni Hajiki game), and a set of art cards [64]. (A quirky note: the Collector’s Edition does not include a physical game disc – you still need to install it digitally.) In addition, Sony will sell a matching Ghost of Yōtei PS5 console bundle ($599.99) and DualSense controller ($84.99) featuring Japanese art and Yōtei iconography [65].
Fans are already snapping these up: pre-order statistics (from PlayStation Store rankings) show Yōtei landing in the top-5 across the US, UK, Japan and Brazil. The effort to incentivize pre-orders with masks and avatars echoes Tsushima’s strategy, and developer Sucker Punch has said they’re working on day-one patch notes to balance skills and fix any launch issues [66] [67].
Multiplayer & Post-Launch Plans
Although Ghost of Yōtei is single-player at launch, the multiplayer legacy of Tsushima continues. Sucker Punch confirmed at Gamescom 2025 that Legends Mode – the cooperative multiplayer from Tsushima (including story missions and survival challenges) – will return [68]. Sony says this new Legends DLC will arrive sometime in 2026 and will be free for all owners [69] [70]. No exact date has been given yet, but fans can expect it to follow the main campaign. (By contrast, a competitive PvP mode has not been mentioned; the focus is on cooperative play.)
No official word has come on platforms beyond PS5. Ghost of Tsushima launched on PC four years after its PS4 release, so it’s possible Yōtei could eventually see a PC port down the line. For now, it remains a PS5 exclusive – at least through 2025.
Legacy and Expectations
Ghost of Yōtei carries the weight of Ghost of Tsushima’s success. The original game (2020) was lauded for its cinematic swordplay, stunning feudal Japan visuals, and emotional narrative [71]. Players will be looking to Yōtei for more of that cinematic flair – now with richer storytelling from a new angle. By combining Sucker Punch’s refined combat engine with fresh characters and setting, the developers aim to satisfy both fans of Jin Sakai’s saga and newcomers alike.
As IGN’s Wesley Yin-Poole summarized, Sony’s announcements have set the stage: “It’s been nearly five years since we shipped Ghost of Tsushima… we can’t wait for you to experience Atsu’s quest for vengeance later this year.” [72] Between the confirmed October 2025 launch date, the rolling time-zone unlocks, and the detailed pre-order info, all major details are now public. The final weeks leading up to release will likely feature more interviews, gameplay deep dives, and perhaps final trailers. But the headline is clear: Ghost of Yōtei is coming, and fans have a lot to look forward to – from Atsu’s epic revenge to new open-world freedom and a bonus multiplayer saga next year.
Sources: Release schedules and game details are drawn from the official PlayStation Blog and news outlets [73] [74] [75]. Key facts about story, gameplay, and editions come from Sony’s announcements and coverage by gaming sites (EgamersWorld, Polygon, IGN, Beebom, etc.) [76] [77] [78]. All times above are given in local or U.S. zones as noted; see sources for full time-zone charts.
References
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