Can Outsiders Nail Authentic Game Worlds?

Ghost of Yotei’s devs admit their early ignorance of Japanese culture, but they’re doubling down on authenticity—field trips, local advisors, and real cultural immersion. Is this enough for a US-based team to respectfully represent Hokkaido’s spirit, or does true authenticity require native voices at the helm? As gamers, do we value intent or origin more when it comes to cultural storytelling in open-world games? #GhostOfYotei #GameDev #CulturalRepresentation #OpenWorld #PS5 #Games