Controversy Surrounding the Protagonist of Ghost of Yotei

Following the announcement of Sucker Punch’s latest PS5 project, significant controversy has emerged regarding the protagonist of Ghost of Yotei. The anticipated sequel to the acclaimed Ghost of Tsushima, released in 2020, is set centuries after the adventures of Jin Sakai and introduces a new lead character named Atsu. Unfortunately, her depiction as a female warrior has sparked mixed reactions among gamers.

This backlash isn’t particularly surprising, given the current trend of “culture wars”that often arises whenever gender or sexual minorities are featured in video games or other media. Continue reading to discover more about the controversy surrounding Atsu, the leading character in Ghost of Yotei.

What Makes the Ghost of Yotei Protagonist Controversial?

In Ghost of Tsushima, players met the protagonist Jin Sakai, a samurai who valiantly fought against the Mongol invasion of Japan in the year 1274. Jin’s composed demeanor and compelling character quickly won fans over, despite the game being a new intellectual property competing against long-established Sony icons such as Kratos from God of War and Nathan Drake from Uncharted.

Ghost of Yotei, however, takes place in Ezo (modern-day Hokkaido) almost 400 years later. Given that it’s impossible for Jin to return in this new story, introducing a fresh protagonist makes perfect sense. Nevertheless, the absence of Jin and the introduction of a female Ronin have led to discontent among some players.

Below are a few criticisms found in Sucker Punch’s official announcement on X regarding the Ghost of Yotei protagonist:

Adding fuel to the fire, the news that the protagonist of Ghost of Yotei will be voiced by Erika Isshi, who identifies as genderfluid, has provoked further reactions from certain gamers:

The negativity surrounding Atsu is puzzling, especially considering that there is limited information about her character, as Sucker Punch has yet to reveal significant story elements. Some critics argue that the inclusion of a female protagonist constitutes “historical inaccuracy,”which is ironic given that Japanese history features “onna-musha”(female warriors) documented as early as the 1180s—well before the timeline of Ghost of Tsushima.

Prominent female figures from history include Tomoe Gozen (Battle of Awazu), Hangaku Gozen (Kennin Rebellion), and Empress Jingu, among others. Thus, claims stating that women never engaged in battle in Japan’s past are unfounded. Recent discussions have also brought forth similar controversies surrounding games like Concord, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

Our review of Sony’s Concord highlighted numerous design and technical issues; the inclusion of character pronouns in the selection screen certainly didn’t serve as the game’s primary shortcoming.

Additionally, the discussion surrounding the well-known Black warrior Yasuke as a samurai in Assassin’s Creed Shadows has also come under scrutiny. Nevertheless, it seems likely that the uproar over Atsu, the protagonist of Ghost of Yotei, stems from a vocal minority.

Overall, despite the previous game’s immense popularity and the robust reputation of the PlayStation brand, it’s improbable that Ghost of Yotei will be severely impacted by any potential boycott or cancel campaigns initiated by gamers.

Ghost of Yotei is set to launch on the PS5 in 2025.

Source