Ghost of Yotei‘s overall budget is roughly the same as that of its predecessor, Ghost of Tsushima, according to comments made by Sucker Punch studio head Brian Fleming. The second entry into what is becoming a hit feudal Japan-based action-adventure series, Ghost of Yotei is one of the most highly anticipated games coming for PlayStation 5, and the money behind it should help it pack a powerful punch.
Following up on the first game in the series, Ghost of Yotei will feature a new protagonist, Atsu, as she journeys past Edo-era Japan’s borders to the island of Ezo, which is now known as Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost major island. Ghost of Yotei is set for release on October 2, meaning fans won’t have to wait too much longer to explore Ezo for themselves.
Ghost of Yotei Costs About as Much as Ghost of Tsushima to Make
In a newly published interview with GameFile, which requires a subscription to read, Fleming stated that the costs of developing Ghost of Tsushima and its soon-to-be-released sequel were roughly the same. According to several sources, Ghost of Tsushima‘s budget was around $60 million, which is meager for a major triple-A title. “When we look at the financials and the costs, the man years, the amount of months that the team — times the size of the team — worked on it, [it’s] very, very similar, actually,” he said during the interview. The size of Ghost of Tsushima‘s development team has been reported at roughly 150-160 people, though as a generally smaller studio, it also outsources some its work to outside developers. That smaller team size requires department heads to be resourceful, he said, encouraging them to be more considerate that every decision they make does not turn out to be wasteful.
With that budget in mind, Sucker Punch may be looking to profit greatly from the sale of Ghost of Yotei. Ghost of Tsushima‘s sales had topped 13 million copies by last autumn, helped along by a resurgence that saw it unexpectedly become the best-selling game of May 2024 in the United States market following its PC release, despite its original PlayStation 4 version coming out nearly four years prior.
One particular indictment may have some effect on the upcoming game’s financial success. In the wake of the assassination of right-wing political commentator Charlie Kirk on September 10, Sucker Punch fired lead character artist Drew Harrison over an online comment she made regarding the murder. The incident has sparked backlash from both ends of the political spectrum, with those on the left defending Harrison and some on the right decrying Sucker Punch for employing her at all. Despite Harrison’s pleas to the public to continue to support the team behind the game, members of both sides have stated over social media that they will be boycotting Ghost of Yotei, though the reach and degree of conviction behind this boycott is still unknown.