Gaming News

Ghost of Yōtei Developers Considered Breath of the Wild-Style Climbing

July 11, 2026Carlos Mendoza1 мин
Screenshot from Ghost of Yōtei showing an environment

Sucker Punch Productions initially planned to incorporate a climbing system reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild into their upcoming game, Ghost of Yōtei. Project leads Nate Fox and Jason Connell revealed at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) that a working prototype of this mechanic was even created.

Character art from Sucker Punch Productions / Ghost of Yōtei
Sucker Punch Productions / Ghost of Yōtei

However, during development, the team decided to scrap the idea. Connell explained that the climbing system ultimately didn't align with the game's core concept: embodying a wandering ronin. The key question guiding their decisions was always, "Does this mechanic help the player feel like a wandering ronin?" If the answer was negative, the idea was discarded.

Fox, who personally wished for a system allowing players to climb almost any surface, admitted that universal climbing presented significant challenges for open-world design. Certain areas were not intended for players to ascend, and allowing unrestricted climbing without adequate rewards for exploration quickly demotivated players from using the mechanic.