Video games, like any other popular form of art, can be excellent advertisements for tourism. I always get the bug to browse flights after playing a new Assassin's Creed, for instance, and I don't think that's a coincidence. On the back of Ghost of Yotei, the eponymous Yotei area of Hokkaido is pushing for more visitors, apparently signing a deal to sell associated merchandise to curious travelers.
According to Japanese outlet Nikkei, Niseko, a resort town for skiing in the area, has entered into an agreement with Sony through a third-party firm to produce a line of Ghost of Yotei items visitors can buy. The first iteration of this agreement is a set of wooden knick-knacks from Kumagera Seisakusho, a producer of pendants, fridge magnets and other products that use locally sourced timber.
The aforementioned items and many more, including pin badges, come emblazoned with symbols associated with the historic open-world game. From the promo images, it seems there are quite a few available, which will no doubt encourage hardcore fans to do some collecting.
A representative of Niseko told Nikkei that they hope the game inspires more people to visit after seeing the area through various in-game seasons. This is yet another layer to what's proving to be a happy relationship between developer Sucker Punch and Japan's tourism industry.
Ghost of Yotei's predecessor, Ghost of Tsushima, likewise caused a spike in tourists for its island setting, to the point that the local economy enjoyed a meaningful jump thanks to more guided tours and merch attached to the game. Leads from Sucker Punch even became ambassadors.
Where the Ghost series goes next might be a heated choice, as other places have surely started noticing the knock-on effect. All I know is that whenever I go to Japan, there will be two stops on my list, and two particular games made sure I won't be missing them.
