Ghost of Yotei’s production budget is almost identical to Ghost of Tsushima’s, far lower than PlayStation’s biggest blockbusters. That’s how it managed to outshine Spider-Man 2, God of War Ragnarök, and The Last of Us 2 in a category where Sony usually dominates.

It’s undeniable that producing a AAA game today is a risky venture, especially in regions with high development costs like the U.S. Rising expenses and multi-year production cycles mean major releases need millions of sales to break even. In earlier console generations, Sony’s first-party titles were made with smaller budgets, avoiding this burden.

Sucker Punch’s next big project, Ghost of Yotei, faces these industry realities. One of the most common questions revolves around its budget. In an interview with Game File, co-founder Brian Fleming revealed that the new title was made with a “very, very similar” budget, team size, and schedule to Ghost of Tsushima.

Smaller Spending, Bigger Profits

Ghost of Tsushima was developed for around $60 million, suggesting that the sequel falls near the same figure. This is a stark contrast to PlayStation giants like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which reportedly cost over $300 million—triple the 2018 original’s budget. Other high-cost examples include The Last of Us Part II, Horizon Forbidden West, and God of War Ragnarök, all surpassing $200 million even before global marketing is factored in.

Sucker Punch has succeeded in keeping costs stable despite inflation and greater risk. For players, this doesn’t mean less ambition—it shows that the team has optimized its resources. And with Ghost of Yotei launching its Legends mode in 2026, the studio’s plans clearly remain intact.

Source: 3djuegos