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Former Sony head responds to those complaining about Ghost of Yotei's female protagonist: 'If you don't like it, don't buy it'
Former Sony lead Shawn Layden defends Ghost of Yotei's female protagonist against criticism, stating that the developers have the right to create the game they envision and players are free to choose whether or not they support it. Fans have been quick to point out the historical precedent for female warriors in Japan, while the game's setting in Hokkaido, 400 years after the events of Ghost of Tsushima, suggests a potential focus on the Ainu people.
Following the big Ghost of Yotei reveal during Sony's recent PlayStation State of Play event, some have taken to criticizing the Ghost of Tsushima sequel for its female protagonist - and former Sony lead Shawn Layden is having absolutely none of it.
Responding to a thread doing the rounds, Layden claps back saying that Ghost of Yotei was made to suit developer Sucker Punch's vision for the follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima: "It's a game. An entertainment. A story a team of creators believes in. They want to make this." He reiterates that "it's a game," and if anyone isn't a fan of it then they can simply not purchase it.
1 It's a game. An entertainment. A story a team of creators believes in. They want to make this.2 it's a game. If you don't like it, don't buy it. In fact, why not make the game you want yourself?September 25, 2024
"If you don't like it," Layden writes, "don't buy it. In fact, why not make the game you want yourself?" He makes a valid point, and one that many agree with. Amid complaints about the Ghost of Yotei protagonist, many more fans are excited about the sequel and the possibility of a female samurai. One discusses "the history and legacy of samurai women," linking to a relevant historical study.
Another points fans toward documents on the onna-bugeisha or onna-musha, female warriors from pre-modern Japan who often fought alongside samurai men - and even led them. There's no telling just yet what path Ghost of Yotei will take with its plot, though, but a setting in Hokkaido over 300 years after the events from Ghost of Tsushima points to a possible tale of the Ainu people settled within the region.