Failed Dragon Age: The Veilguard Writers Found Working on Ghost of Yōtei

Ghost of Yōtei is Already Well Beyond COOKED...

Sucker Punch’s much anticipated (and heavily mired in controversy) upcoming game Ghost of Yōtei, a follow-up to the critically acclaimed Ghost of Tsushima, is back in the news... for all the wrong reasons.

From questionable staffing choices to concerning rumors about the game’s overall direction, the more I'm learning about this game, the less excited I am for its eventual release. Which really sucks in all honesty, because Ghost of Tsushima is one of my all-time favorite games. I can’t shake the feeling that Ghost of Yōtei might ultimately fall short of even my lowest expectations, both critically ...and financially.

Troubling Hiring Decisions Raise Red Flags

In a move that should have a lot of gamers at least a BIT worried, Sucker Punch has brought in TWO former Dragon Age: The Veilguard writers, John Dombrow and Courtney Woods, to work on Ghost of Yōtei.

These two writers were previously involved with one of BioWare’s biggest failures in recent memory, and specifically due to the narrative aspect of the game in particular. Their track records don’t exactly inspire too much confidence.

Dombrow worked on Mass Effect 3, BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode One, and the critically underwhelming Mass Effect Andromeda, prior to leaving BioWare last year towards the end of the development for Dragon Age: The Veilguard. It was confirmed by his former coworker Trick Weekes (above) on Bluesky that Dombrow was the one who created the storyline for Darvrin.

He announced his departure from BioWare to join Sucker Punch in early 2023 via Linkedin.

Meanwhile, Courtney Woods, a decade-long BioWare veteran with credits on Dragon Age: Inquisition, Mass Effect Andromeda, and Anthem, made her move over to Sucker Punch in September 2022.

Given that both these writers contributed to Dragon Age: The Veilguard—a game that's been widely criticized for its ideologically driven storyline approach to identity politics and lackluster narrative—there's pretty good reason to have some legitimate concern that Ghost of Yōtei will suffer from similar issues... Especially when considering the move they made in bringing in the main protagonist of the game, Erika Ishii.

Main Protagonist Switch and Identity Politics Concerns

One of the most controversial aspects of Ghost of Yōtei is the rumored protagonist switch. Early leaks from friend of the channel Endymion suggested that the game originally had Jin Sakai as main character, only for Sucker Punch to replace them with Atsu, the “girl boss” protagonist played by activist Erika Ishii.

The decision to push a new lead female character while sidelining the celebrated and established lore has angered many fans. Ishii, who has a history of blocking critics—including myself—on X after discussing who she is behind the scenes. She has demonstrated a disdain for gamer feedback, which is - in all honestly - a terrible look for someone playing the face of this game.

To make matters even worse, Ishii’s involvement has only further fueled speculation that Ghost of Yōtei is going to once again prioritize identity politics over immersive storytelling. Her open activism and willingness to shut down conversations with any critical gamer feedback doesn't necessarily bode well for a title that should have been focused on delivering an engaging and fun overall experience. We'll of course have to wait and see what they do with the overall narrative, but based on past history, I'm not going to be holding my breath.

Will Ghost of Yōtei Meet Sales Expectations?

Ghost of Tsushima was a massive success, selling about 10 million copies since launch and receiving near-universal acclaim. However, Ghost of Yōtei’s current trajectory feels significantly different. Between the divisive rumored protagonist switch, the hiring of writers responsible for some of BioWare’s biggest misfires in history, and the growing backlash online, it’s really hard for me to imagine this game coming ANYWHERE close to matching its predecessor’s success.

Compounding the issue, former Sony Interactive Entertainment head Shawn Layden recently weighed in on the controversy, dismissively telling critics, “If you don’t like it, don’t buy it.” That kind of attitude—completely ignoring any fan concerns rather than head-on addressing them—only fuels further skepticism from the community.

At this rate, Ghost of Yōtei is shaping up to be yet another case of a studio failing to understand what made their previous game a success. While I genuinely do hope to be proven wrong, I can’t shake the feeling that this game... is on a collision course with disappointment.

~Smash