Sucker Punch Says “Criticism Is a Gift” as Ghost of Yōtei Awaits DLC Direction

Sucker Punch isn’t jumping into DLC plans for Ghost of Yōtei just yet. The team wants something first: a clear message from you, the players, about what’s working, what isn’t, and what needs more love. In a chat with Game Informer, co-director Jason Connell and lead writer Ian Ryan said they are soaking up all the feedback before deciding on how, or even if, they’ll expand the game’s story or content.

Player Voices Will Shape Ghost of Yōtei’s Next Steps

Right now, Ghost of Yōtei is in the hands of millions. For Connell, this is a rare moment, a chance to hear what truly landed with players and what left them wanting more.

“I think for us, we are at the spot in the project where we just get to put it out there and see what’s resonating with people and what people love and what people feel like they wish they maybe knew more about Atsu“, Connell explained when asked if DLC is on the table.

This phase isn’t just about monitoring Twitter threads or review scores. The team is actively listening to identify where the audience needs more closure or depth, especially around characters like Atsu. Connell pointed out how they took a similar approach with Ghost of Tsushima; they tuned in to requests for deeper dives into relationships and unresolved story beats.

He put it plainly: “You get this rare opportunity to actually listen to millions of people about what resonated within a story versus maybe what didn’t or what are the holes. And I think that’s the mode that you want to be in. And that’s sort of the gift.”

If there’s enough of a call to flesh out Atsu or clarify major narrative points, and if it lines up with Sucker Punch’s vision, “we’ll certainly take a hard look at that for sure“, Connell promised.

Criticism Isn’t Just Welcome—It’s Fuel

Feedback isn’t always sunshine, and Sucker Punch isn’t shying away from tough conversations. Connell called criticism “a gift,” even if not all of it goes down easy.

“There’s some people that are going to love what you make, and some people are maybe not going to like it“, Connell said. Some notes sting, but the team considers every perspective valuable.

He continued, “It makes you better creators, right? Because you think about the perspective of that player or another player. Maybe it’s just okay, this person didn’t like this because this was maybe for this kind of player.” Sucker Punch is openly embracing the messy, complicated nature of audience response. For them, criticism is a tool to craft a better game, and perhaps, a better DLC experience.

Ghost of Yōtei: A New Chapter, But Not Without Baggage

Ghost of Yōtei is set some 300 years after Tsushima, moving the action to northern Japan. But while it deploys the studio’s signature swordplay and emotional beats, not everyone is sold on the direction.

In Eurogamer’s review, the sequel earned 3 out of 5 stars, praised for its “great swordplay and heartfelt storytelling”, but knocked for its lacklustre sidequests and dated open-world design. Eurogamer said the game might be better if it leaned into being a more linear action experience instead of clinging to an open structure.

Sucker Punch knows the community is divided. The team is listening for specifics, what story threads you actually care about, which mechanics feel broken, and even what secondary content failed to spark interest. Don’t underestimate your influence here.

So, if you’ve got feelings, whether it’s about Atsu’s journey, overlooked relationships, or a questline you wish didn’t exist, now’s the time to make your voice heard. Sucker Punch is tuning in, and the future of Ghost of Yōtei might just depend on what you say next.