Sony aired a new State of Play on July 10, this time entirely focused on Ghost of Yotei, a standalone follow-up to the 2020 hit Ghost of Tsushima. While the event didn’t attract the usual audience numbers seen in broader showcases, it still managed to pull in three times more viewers than this year’s similar spotlight on Borderlands 4.
In a roughly 20-minute showcase, Sucker Punch and Sony delivered a deep dive into Ghost of Yōtei, the PS5-exclusive sequel featuring protagonist Atsu, a vengeance-driven ronin hunting the Yotei Six across 1603 Ezo (modern Hokkaido). The presentation highlighted a rich open world with non-linear quest structure, a diverse arsenal (dual katanas, odachi, kusarigama, spear, rifle) and dynamic systems like clue-finding and interrogation that shape the experience.
A major focus was on stylistic modes: the returning Kurosawa Mode (black-and-white + film grain) plus two new filters, Miike Mode (gritty, visceral aesthetics) and Watanabe Mode (lo-fi beats for chill exploration), alongside themed PS5 console and controller editions. The reactions so far praise the game’s beauty, combat depth, and presentation, though some fans note it feels like an iteration on its predecessor rather than a complete evolution.
As usual, the showcase was covered across official PlayStation and gaming media channels, along with a range of popular influencers streaming on Twitch, YouTube, and Kick. The official channel ended up being the most-watched overall, but co-streamers brought in the majority of the additional audience, with standout performances from American creator Zack “zackrawrr” Hoyt (aka Asmongold) and Brazilian streamer Alan "Alanzoka" Pereira.
Earlier this year, Sony aired another State of Play focused on a single title: April’s showcase for Borderlands 4. In comparison, the latest edition proved far more popular and successful, pulling in over three times the numbers across all major metrics, including viewership on PlayStation’s official channel.
The most popular State of Play event so far remains the June 2025 edition, which revealed a slate of exciting new games and updates, including release dates and new trailers for already announced titles.
Read more: Sony PlayStation State of Play reached record-breaking livestream viewership
