Sony has big ambitions for Ghost of Yotei and especially Sucker Punch’s Ghost franchise – it wants to expand the video game franchise into movies, TV shows, and other spinoffs.
In an interview with New York TimesHermen Hulst, CEO of Sony’s Studio Business Group, said expanding PlayStation franchises into other entertainment formats drives fans back to the original games, something he’s seen firsthand with HBO’s hugely successful The Last of Us series.
“From a business perspective, it makes a lot of sense,” Halst said. “When a TV series or movie comes out, people feel inspired to play again or make friends to play.”
Ghost of Yotei, the sequel to Ghost of Tsushima on PS4 and set to release on PS5 in 2025, has been described as the start of an official series that will include at least one film and other spinoffs. A Ghost of Tsushima movie adaptation has been in the works for some time, with director Chad Stahelski at the helm.
Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions announced Ghost of Tsushima in March 2021. Stahelski said last year that the game was “in intensive development.”
“I love this feature, look, the story of the game with Jin Saki, which is what I would say is the most anti-samurai samurai movie out there because of the stories, the themes in it, and the journey that Jin Saki goes through,” he said.
Stahelski added that Jin’s transition from an honorable samurai to a disgraced Ghost of Tsushima, balancing his pride with the survival of his people, is “very interesting.” “The characters in the story are definitely something I don’t want to lose in any way.”
Stahelski previously said he wanted to make the film the right way. And I have The crew and even the language is Japanese.which Sony “strongly agreed with.”
Sony has a lot of experience turning PlayStation franchises into successful movies and TV shows. Aside from HBO’s The Last of Us, the Tom Holland-starring Uncharted movie grossed nearly $400 million.
The New York Times article also revealed that Ghost of Tsushima has now sold 13 million copies since it went on sale in 2020, making it one of PlayStation Studios’ most successful games ever.
Creative directors Nate Fox and Jason Connell have stated that Sucker Punch wants to “find a balance” in Ghost of Yotei against the repetitive open-world gameplay and may introduce story options. The duo confirmed plans to let players master firearms in addition to melee weapons like the katana.
Wesley is IGN’s UK News Editor. You can follow him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can contact Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or anonymously at wyp100@proton.me.
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