Ghost of Tsushima Shafted by The Last of Us Part II Release Date Shift
It doesn't take much to note that despite a week's difference in the dates themselves, The Last of Us Part II has muscled in and hijacked Ghost of Tsushima's spot. | Source: Sony
- Sony announced a new release date of June 19 for The Last of Us Part II.
- The move sees the Ghost of Tsushima launch ousted from its original June 26 release date to nearly a month later on July 17.
- Ghost of Tsushima and its would-be fans are getting shafted by the on-going TLOUS2 mess.
After devastating leaks laying bare all but a few of The Last of Us Part II’s major plot points, Sony has delivered some much-needed damage control in the form of a new release date.
Sony says the highly-anticipated PlayStation 4 will now launch on June 19.
The Last of Us Part II Fiasco Leaves Collateral Damage
In a PlayStation.Blog post sharing the news, head of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios, Hermen Hulst, points towards the “ever-changing environment” produced by the COVID-19 pandemic as the impetus behind the decision.
In the process, Sony has unceremoniously ousted this summer’s other big PlayStation 4 exclusive, Ghost of Tsushima, from its June 26 launch date – yet more collateral damage in the on-going TLOUS2 mess.
Ghost of Tsushima will instead launch on July 17, nearly a month later than initially planned.
While I certainly consider The Last of Us Part II a must-play, my focus has very much been on Ghost of Tsushima. A new IP from powerhouse Sucker Punch Productions set in feudal Japan seems like a far more appetizing proposition.
I’d wager I’m not alone. The news is sure to irk more than a few.
Ghost of Tsushima Gets Shafted
Let’s no beat around the bush here: Ghost of Tsushima and its would-be fans are getting shafted. The TLOUS2 mess and release date shift are forcing out Sucker Punch’s latest effort to make space for a perceived higher-profile title.
Sucker Punch is being agreeable about the whole affair. The developer took to Twitter to half-heartedly cite adapting to work-from-home measures as justification for the delay . It reeks of reluctantly toeing the line.
It’s not all bad news, though, as the developer says:
There are a few finishing touches to apply and bugs to squash – so we’ll put these extra couple weeks to good use.
Sony will bank on PlayStation fans lapping up the ever-useful COVID-19 excuse. But Ghost of Tsushima hasn’t suffered multiple delays, massive leaks, or been put on “indefinite delay” status.
The game has been on track to meet its release date. Or, at least, we’ve heard little in terms of difficulties completing the game on time.
Spacing Out Exclusives
It doesn’t take much to note that despite a week’s difference in the dates themselves, TLOUS2 has muscled in and hijacked Ghost of Tsushima’s spot.
It’s understandable, though. Sony has a history of spacing out exclusives. This is to allow each the time to marinate in the spotlight to maximize exposure. The strategy has worked wonders if we take the enviable sales of past PS4 exclusives as a metric of success.
Nevertheless, all this is a bitter pill to swallow for fans. At least there’s a silver lining: an extra month of polish will do Ghost of Tsushima no harm.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com.
