Sucker Punch Productions’ Ghost of Tsushima is grounded in reality, inspired by real-world events that took place during Feudal Japan. Though it’s still a work of fiction, the game closely follows many historical accounts. Here’s a look at the time period of Ghost of Tsushima, including the year when it takes place and the historical background that forms its setting.
When does Ghost of Tsushima take place?
Ghost of Tsushima takes place in the year 1274, during the Feudal Japanese era known as the Kamakura period. The game’s setting is inspired by the first Mongol invasion of Japan, around the time shortly after the forces of Kublai Khan landed on Tsushima Island.
While Ghost of Tsushima is based around actual Japanese history, the developers at Sucker Punch avoided the use of non-fictional characters. Speaking in an interview with Game Informer, director Nate Fox said that Jin and his exploits are largely fictional:
“We’re inspired by history, but we’re not building it back stone by stone,” Fox said. “Our protagonist is a work of fiction. We actually thought about using some historical figures, and we asked some people who are more culturally aware than us and they said that it would be insensitive, so we didn’t do it.”
Still, the game shares much in common with actual historical records. Mongol forces did invade the southern end of Tsushima in November of 1274, and managed to gain control over the area in a matter of days. Their offensives were reportedly brutal, sparing no Japanese defenders before moving on to the nearby Iki Island just over a week later.
Ghost of Tsushima‘s historical setting is based around the first Mongol invasion of Japan in 1274. However, that’s where most of the historical accuracy ends, as the rest of the game’s story follows mostly fictional events and characters.
