From the pinnacle of success: Ghost of Yōtei makes history
It’s rare for a studio to score such a hit twice in a row. With Ghost of Yōtei, Sucker Punch has not only delivered a worthy successor to Ghost of Tsushima, but also one of the best PlayStation exclusive games of 2025. In its first week alone, the new samurai epic sold over 1.6 million copies – a record that even rivals Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
The story surrounding protagonist Atsu clearly struck a chord with fans. Stylistically, the game remains true to its roots, but takes bold narrative steps – a risk that has paid off. Critics are also full of praise, calling the game “an emotional masterpiece with cinematic staging.”
While Sucker Punch continues to work on optimizations and the multiplayer mode Legends planned for 2026, the next step already seems to be looming on the horizon. But where will the path lead?
“Unfortunately, the reality is different” – Studio boss on the future and limitations
In an interview with VGC , studio co-founder Brian Fleming spoke surprisingly openly about the future of the studio – and about the challenges that come with such a small team. Only around 160 developers work at Sucker Punch, which is unusually few in the AAA world.
“We can only work on one game at a time,” explained Fleming. “And when each project takes around five years to develop, we have to choose the very best idea.” The team is by no means lacking in inspiration – on the contrary. “If we had more capacity, we would certainly fulfill some fan wishes or bring back old classics.”
Fleming speaks for many fans with this statement. The community has long dreamed of a return to the cult characters from Sly Cooper or Infamous. A third installment of the Ghost saga is also highly sought after.
However, which project will ultimately win the race remains a well-kept secret. Only one thing is certain: Sucker Punch is at a turning point – and the next step could shape the future of the studio.
