Part 7/9:
Ghost of Tsushima’s success in Japan is especially significant because many skeptics doubted that a Western studio like Sucker Punch could craft a game that authentically captured Japanese history and aesthetics. Yet, it defied these doubts, earning widespread critical acclaim and cultural approval.
In contrast, The Last of Us Part II struggled with sales and reputation in Japan, with physical copies lingering on store shelves. For example, in the United States, local Best Buy stores reportedly had dozens of untouched copies of TLoU2 sitting in stock, highlighting a lack of enthusiasm or faith in the sequel despite its critical acclaim elsewhere.