Although the story and characters are fictional, Ghost of Tsushima takes place in a real place. As is well known, Sucker Punch’s open-world samurai adventure takes place on the titular island, which was actually invaded by the Mongol army in 1274. Much (much!) More recently, the hit game has made the venue popular, and Japan is fully aware of it; After all, the Tsushima tourism website includes the exclusive PlayStation 4.
The island’s popularity has risen dramatically in recent months, to the extent that fans of the game are getting involved in events taking place in the real world. Earlier this year, a typhoon hit Tsushima and one of the island’s torii gates was badly damaged. Ghost players will know that these gates lead to Shinto shrines (although the real ones don’t give you powerful Charms). Resident priest Yuichi Hirayama started a Campfire campaign, which is essentially a Kickstarter, to raise money for repairs to the torii.
The campaign asked for 5 million yen and started on November 27. With just a few weeks to go, the crowdfunding page has now raised more than 20 million yen, more than four times its original goal. In a Famitsu report (translated by Twinfinite), Yuichi Hirayama writes in an update that much of this immense support is due to Ghost of Tsushima fans.
It’s great to hear that passionate players have been able to channel their love of the game into something that has an impact on the real world. Hopefully, once the weather is safe to travel, people can visit Tsushima and see the restored torii gate in all its glory.
How come a feel-good story gets you in the holiday mood?