Ghost of Yotei, the upcoming action-adventure game set in 17th-century Hokkaido, has now received an official M for Mature 17+ rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). The classification follows a prior age rating in South Korea and further confirms the game’s mature content and intense themes. Developed exclusively for PlayStation 5, Ghost of Yotei is scheduled to launch on October 2, 2025.
According to the ESRB listing, the title includes “Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity, and Use of Alcohol.” Players take on the role of a wandering female warrior seeking revenge for the murder of her family. Gameplay unfolds from a third-person perspective, featuring a mixture of open-world exploration, bounty hunting, and melee combat. Players wield a variety of weapons such as katanas, spears, bows, and rifles to dispatch foes, with several encounters leading to graphic violence including decapitations, dismemberment, and slow-motion executions.
Cutscenes reportedly amplify the brutal tone, showcasing acts such as characters being burned at the stake or engaging in self-inflicted death. Additional mature content includes scenes of a female character’s bare buttocks in a hot spring, sake drinking mini-games that alter the visual experience, and dialogue referencing opium. One example of coarse language noted in the rating is the word “bullsh*t.”
The mature content in Ghost of Yotei aligns with earlier disclosures from Korea’s Game Rating and Administration Committee, which assigned the game a 19+ rating for graphic violence, sexual themes, and simulated gambling. The Korean board specifically highlighted suggestive character designs, betting-based mini-games, substance use depictions, and intoxication effects like screen distortion as contributing factors.
Coupled with the ESRB’s Mature rating, these classifications confirm Ghost of Yotei as an adults-only experience. Its unflinching approach to historical violence and dark themes places it alongside other recent action games prioritizing realism and gritty storytelling.
As its October launch nears, Ghost of Yotei is positioning itself as one of PlayStation 5’s most intense feudal-era narratives this year—a potentially standout title for players drawn to raw, revenge-driven historical fiction.
