Ghost of Tsushima’s Cut Content Explained

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home January 4, 2025 392 Views 8 Min Read
Ghost of Tsushima's Cut Content Explained



Summary

  • Jin’s backstory had major cuts, altering a key plot point.
  • Ryuzo’s backstory was also impacted by cut content.
  • A location called the “Otsuna Grasslands” was scrapped pre-release.

When Ghost of Tsushima launched in 2020, it didn’t take long for it to become one of the most memorable titles released in gaming’s modern era. However, in spite of its most notable features — like its breathtaking landscapes and compelling narrative — not every idea conceived during Ghost of Tsushima‘s development made it into the final release.

Since Ghost of Tsushima is literally named after its protagonist, Jin Sakai, the game’s story naturally revolves around the character. That’s what makes a major cut to his backstory so significant, as it changes one of the story’s biggest plot points. This, in addition to even more cut backstory for Ryuzo and a scrapped location, comprises the biggest portions of Ghost of Tsushima that never made it beyond the cutting room floor.

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Everything Cut From Ghost of Tsushima

A Major Part of Jin’s Backstory Was Cut From the Game

Jin Sakai, Ghost of Tsushima‘s protagonist, is a compelling character for a number of reasons, but many of those reasons revolve around his backstory and motivations. Jin was born into the Sakai Clan, a prestigious samurai family on Tsushima Island, with his father, Kazumasa Sakai, serving as the clan leader. When Jin was a child, his father was killed right in front of him, leaving him deeply scarred and laden with guilt throughout his life, as he believes he should have been able to protect his father. After his father’s death, Jin was raised by his uncle, Lord Shimura, the governor of Tsushima Island. Lord Shimura then trained Jin in the ways of the samurai, emphasizing honor and discipline, which ultimately plays a major role in Jin’s transformation into the Ghost of Tsushima.

Apparently, as if Jin’s backstory wasn’t already dark and tragic enough, more of the beloved protagonist’s story was cut ahead of Ghost of Tsushima‘s release. In some recovered dialogue audio for Ghost of Tsushima, Jin can be heard telling morbid stories about his father to Yuna, who comments on Jin’s scars. Jin then explains where the scars came from, and the story behind them actually arguably lessens the tragedy of his father’s death, which the game heavily relied on for its storytelling. In his conversation with Yuna, Jin explains:

“When that would happen to me, I would grab a bokken, and hide in the forest, slash at the bamboo, and pretend it was my father. When I was a child, I once spied on my father dressing for battle. I watched him put this mask on, and I ran in terror because my father disappeared. In his place was the one who killed men on the battlefield — the one who hurt me at home.”

In more cut dialogue, Yuriko explains to Jin that she understands the pain that his father put him through and that he “knew how to train warriors, but he never learned how to raise a son.” She explains to Jin that since his father was a “hero to many people,” the truth about his treatment of Jin could not be revealed to the public, lest it ruin any hope the people had once placed in Kazumasa. Even more cut dialogue between Jin and Yuriko has Jin explaining his desire to be free of his father and how his scars are “proof” of his father’s love. Yuriko then tells Jin that his father was happy the day Jin was born, and that she hoped Jin’s birth would change Kazumasa.

More cut Ghost of Tsushima dialogue features a conversation between Ryuzo and Jin, where Ryuzo comments on Jin’s aggression, to which Jin replies, “It wasn’t about you. I was fighting someone else.”

Some of Ryuzo’s Backstory Was Cut From the Game as Well

Jin’s backstory in Ghost of Tsushima wasn’t the only one impacted by cuts, as more scrapped audio divulges a layer of Ryuzo’s backstory as well. In the cut dialogue, Jin asks Ryuzo if he has ever wondered what became of his family. Ryuzo replies, “I was just a kid. There’s no answer in the world that would make sense.” Then, when Jin asks if Ryuzo wants to know why his family left him, he replies, “Those people aren’t my family. I’m riding with mine!” Jin then attempts to comfort Ryuzo by telling him that he will be a samurai one day, be able to fill a home with a family, and “get old, lazy, and fat.”

A Location Was Scrapped Ahead of Release

A final piece of Ghost of Tsushima cut content involves a location named the “Otsuna Grasslands,” although it could very well be that the location was simply renamed or repurposed, rather than removed altogether. The Otsuna Grasslands were originally featured in the E3 2018 gameplay reveal for Ghost of Tsushima as a location on Tsushima Island. In the game, Otsuna is a prefecture within the Toyotama region, between Izuhara and Kamiagata, so the Otsuna Grasslands would have been found somewhere around there. However, the location was ultimately cut ahead of the game’s release, though it’s possible that the Kushi Grasslands replaced it.

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