I've been cautious about discussing Ghost of Tsushima publicly and I'm going to continue to do so until I can play it and dig deeper. However, in light of a recent interview, I'd like to speak about my current feelings.

Not a caveat: this is based on what we've seen of the game, if the game is not that then people in charge need to take more ownership over how their game is being marketed and shown.

Ghost of Tsushima looks like a game by tourists for tourists. It's fine that Usagi Yojimbo was the original inspiration for this. But the ultimate question is "is this a story for Nate Fox" to tell? Probably not! And not the first time either.

Of course it was difficult to tell an "authentic" samurai story! There's hardly such a thing! Most of what we in the West consider "authentic samurai" is mostly pro-military propaganda that emerged as Japan became a world military power.

From a pop culture perspective it doesn't work either. Yojimbo (1961) is one of THE samurai movies (jidaigeki) and takes place 400(!!) years after the actual invasions of Tsushima but we keep hearing how "samurai movies" informed this game.

Imagine being an American and hearing about a game being made called Ghost of Bunker Hill but all of the visual inspirations for the game are coming from movies that take place in 2175. That would be a really difficult game to make!

It is also highly troubling that Nate Fox feels comfortable deflecting questions about authenticity because he works for a subsidiary of Sony. Sony just cares about making money. This game will do that. Of course they helped you. They want this to look good. And it will!

It's also kind of a stunning and silly thing to say that no one's made a wandering samurai game? It was called "Way of the Samurai" and there are 5 games, some of which even got legit Western releases. A lot of them aren't "good" but its an extraordinary act of erasure.

It's not strange or shocking to see that not major outlet has really asked a pointed question or run something critical of this.

This is why we keep saying to hire writers of color. Diversity your teams. Let us lead the way here.

Hire me. Hire others. Let us be heard.

I'm working on something bigger and more research based for this. It'll take some time but it's definitely happening some way some how.

Until then, ask hard questions. Be bold enough to hire writers who know this stuff.

Be brave fam, the discourse is coming.