Ghost of Yotei is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated games of 2025, and the fact that its pre-orders are already topping the charts says as much. Finally carrying the torch left behind by its predecessor, Ghost of Yotei takes players three centuries ahead and puts them in the shoes of Atsu, a brand-new protagonist on a quest for vengeance. After her homestead is razed and her family killed by a group known as the «Yotei Six,» Atsu pursues each member of the group across Ezo (modern-day Hokkaido) in an effort to get her revenge in Ghost of Yotei‘s story.
Despite the actions of the Yotei Six ultimately fueling her journey, however, they may only be an opening act for something (or someone) much more dangerous. This is largely made evident by Ghost of Yotei‘s confirmed non-linear structure, which allows players to choose their path through the overarching story.
The Yotei Six Likely Aren't Ghost of Yotei's Big Bad
Ghost of Yotei's Non-Linear Narrative Lessens the Impact of the Yotei Six
One of the more significant yet expected changes Ghost of Yotei is introducing to the franchise is a non-linear narrative, particularly when it comes to the Yotei Six. As confirmed by Sucker Punch, players will be allowed to kill each member of the Yotei Six in any order, giving them more agency over how the story unfolds. What’s most curious about this, though, is that this means that players should theoretically be able to kill the leader of the Yotei Six, Saito, before any of the others. One would think Saito is the most important member of the Yotei Six, as he is their leader, but the non-linear structure of Ghost of Yotei not only lessens the impact of his role in the group but also the group itself.
The footage shown in Ghost of Yotei‘s release date announcement trailer makes it seem as though Atsu’s eyes are primarily on Saito, who is even shown stabbing her in the trailer. While she ultimately has it out for each member of the Yotei Six for razing her homestead and killing her family, her ultimate goal is, understandably, to eliminate the group’s leader. However, since Saito can apparently be killed before the rest of the Yotei Six thanks to Ghost of Yotei‘s non-linear narrative, it might make eliminating the remaining threats rather anti-climactic.
The only real way around this would be to ensure Saito is too strong for players to go after him first, but mechanics like that would make Ghost of Yotei‘s self-proclaimed non-linear narrative a contradiction.
The Yotei Six Are Likely Only a Stepping Stone Toward a More Dangerous Villain
Speaking of things being anti-climactic, Ghost of Yotei‘s non-linear narrative structure might have the same effect, regardless of the order in which players kill each member of the Yotei Six. Since players can eliminate the Yotei Six in any order they wish, Ghost of Yotei‘s ending could feel like it packs less of a punch than it should if it indeed concludes as soon as the last surviving member of the Yotei Six has been dealt with. As such, it seems more likely that the Yotei Six are only a stepping stone toward a more dangerous villain.
Since Saito can apparently be killed before the rest of the Yotei Six thanks to Ghost of Yotei‘s non-linear narrative, it might make eliminating the remaining threats rather anti-climactic.
If this is true, it could mean that Atsu’s journey ends up being much broader than the vengeance she seeks. While her story might begin as a simple revenge tale, if there is another villain hiding behind the Yotei Six, then there is likely a larger story hiding behind them as well. In light of that, players should prepare themselves for a narrative filled with twists, turns, and major reveals — some of which could make Atsu a more complex character than Jin ever was in Ghost of Tsushima.
