Ghost of Yotei Abandoned by Fans? Preorder Plunge Signals Disaster Worse Than Tsushima 🚨

The samurai sequel’s hype is crumbling—refunds surging, boycotts biting amid woke backlash and dev scandals. Will Sucker Punch’s bold switch to a female lead doom the franchise? The numbers don’t lie:

Sucker Punch Productions’ highly anticipated follow-up to the blockbuster Ghost of Tsushima, titled Ghost of Yōtei, is generating buzz for all the wrong reasons just days before its October 2, 2025, release on PlayStation 5. While the original game sold over 2.4 million copies in its first three days back in 2020 and has since surpassed 10 million lifetime units, early indicators suggest Yōtei could falter significantly. Preorder data from retail trackers and online sentiment point to a sharp decline, with refunds stacking up and boycott calls echoing across social media. Critics of the game’s direction, including its female protagonist and associated controversies, argue this represents a risky pivot that may alienate core fans.

Ghost of Tsushima, released during the twilight of the PS4 era, was a critical and commercial triumph, praised for its immersive feudal Japan setting, fluid combat, and the compelling story of samurai Jin Sakai. The game’s success extended beyond gaming, inspiring a film adaptation and Legends multiplayer mode. Yōtei, set 300 years later in 1603 around Mount Yōtei in Hokkaido, shifts focus to a new lone warrior named Atsu, voiced and motion-captured by Erika Ishii. This standalone sequel introduces new melee weapons, firearms, and a fresh narrative of revenge against the Yotei Six gang, but without continuing Jin’s arc, it has drawn ire from those expecting a direct sequel.

Preorder performance has been a mixed bag, with mainstream reports highlighting strong digital sales on the PlayStation Store, where Yōtei topped charts in countries like the US, UK, Japan, and Brazil. However, deeper dives into retail data paint a bleaker picture. Sources monitoring nearly 50 outlets report only 56 confirmed preorders after accounting for cancellations, a stark contrast to Tsushima’s robust launch momentum. Without those refunds, the figure would hover around 81—still underwhelming and now lagging behind even Dragon Age: The Veilguard, a title that sold just 1.5 million units post-launch amid its own controversies. YouTube analyses and forum discussions amplify this, dubbing it “Ghost of NoBuy” and predicting it won’t match Tsushima’s numbers due to PS5’s smaller install base and fan disinterest.

The backlash traces back to Yōtei’s reveal in September 2024, when Sucker Punch announced the female lead, sparking accusations of “woke” pandering and DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) influence. Detractors point to Ishii’s activism, including her genderfluid identity and social media posts supporting LGBTQ+ causes and criticizing conservatives, as evidence of ideological insertion. Claims that Atsu is portrayed as a lesbian samurai have fueled historical inaccuracy debates, with some labeling it a forced agenda over authentic storytelling. Writers like John Dumbarow and Courtney Woods, who contributed to criticized titles such as Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Mass Effect: Andromeda, have intensified fears of subpar narrative quality.

Tensions escalated in September 2025 when a Sucker Punch developer was fired after posting a joke celebrating the reported death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, amid a pressure campaign from right-wing influencers. This incident, amplified by figures like Mark Kern (“Grummz”), led to boycott calls, with some developers ironically joining in protest of the firing as “bending to the far right.” Social media erupted, with X posts decrying the game as “DEI slop” and predicting flops akin to recent “woke” failures. Reddit threads in communities like r/KotakuInAction forecast sales on par with or below Veilguard, citing fan fatigue with progressive elements.

Defenders argue the outrage is overblown misogyny and culture war noise, noting historical precedents for female warriors (onna-bugeisha) in Japan and Yōtei’s potential as a fresh evolution. Former Sony executive Shawn Layden dismissed complaints, advising detractors: “If you don’t like it, don’t buy it.” Early reviews score higher than Tsushima’s (87 on Metacritic vs. 83), praising technical upgrades and combat. Digital preorders dominate, suggesting boycotts may hurt physical sales more, but PS5’s smaller user base compared to PS4 limits upside.

Yōtei’s editions, from Standard ($70) to pricier Deluxe and Collector’s with masks and armor dyes, include bonuses like avatars and cosmetics, but no early access. Priced $10 higher than Tsushima at launch, it faces stiffer competition and a polarized audience. As Sony pushes franchises toward multimedia empires, Yōtei’s fate could influence future directions, with some speculating a quicker PC port to boost numbers.

The divide mirrors broader gaming debates: innovation vs. fidelity, inclusivity vs. tradition. While some hail Atsu’s story as empowering, others see it as a betrayal of Tsushima’s essence. With launch imminent, actual sales will settle the score—potentially validating boycotts or proving them irrelevant. For Sucker Punch, the stakes are high: succeed, and Yōtei cements the series; flop, and it risks becoming a cautionary tale in an industry wary of cultural crossfires.