While Jin Sakai may have been the lead of the original game, the sequel will not focus on a new ‘Ghost’ by the name of Atsu. Her backstory isn’t clear yet, but fans are already wondering why the game didn’t just bring back the first game’s hero.

Talking to PlayStation Blog, Sucker Punch’s Andrew Goldfarb confirms that the reason why Jin isn’t being brought back for Yotei was because this game actually takes place 300 years after the events of the first game. Goldfarb says:

“We also wanted to continue to innovate. To create something fresh but familiar, we looked beyond Jin Sakai’s story and the island of Tsushima, and shifted our focus to the idea of the Ghost instead. At Sucker Punch we love origin stories, and we wanted to explore what it could mean to have a new hero wearing a Ghost mask, and uncovering a new legend. This led us to Ghost of Yōtei: a new protagonist, a new story to unfold, and a new region of Japan to explore.”

With the game moving forward 300 years, it also explains why there are some technological advancements shown in the preview—specifically a medieval version of a gun.

It’s not clear how that’s going to function in the game yet, but the original Tsushima gave Jin a variety of weapons including kunai, a blow dart, and a bow. Sure, why not throw an old gun in there?

Other differences with the Atsu character also include the fact that she wields two swords—which will probably come with their own original stances. It’s also kind of implied that she’s going to get animal companions in this one, which is an upgrade from the first game where Jin can only pet the foxes.

Though there are some players who love Jin, it’s going to be interesting to see how the legend of the Ghost evolves over the next few years. Who knows, maybe Atsu may end up just blowing everyone away.

Expect Ghost of Yotei to launch for the PS5 sometime in 2025.