Ghost of Tsushima's ESRB Rating Includes Intense Violence, Exposed Buttocks

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has delivered its verdict on Ghost of Tsushima, the upcoming PlayStation 4 exclusive from developer Sucker Punch that is set to release next month on July 17th. As expected, the video game is rating "M" for Mature with the content tags "Blood and Gore," "Partial Nudity," and "Intense Violence." Given what we saw at the recent State of Play dedicated to the new title, that tracks.

"Players won't be able to target specific body parts, Jin's goal is just to dispatch his enemies as quickly as possible with whatever means available," Sucker Punch game director Nate Fox said of the bloody combat in a Q&A after the State of Play. "Our motto for Ghost's combat is 'Mud, Blood and Steel'; it's gritty, visceral, and above all lethal. It doesn't take many slashes with katana to kill an enemy, just like it doesn't take many hits from a Mongol's sword to kill Jin. It's a challenging environment to stay alive in — use every weapon you have."

Here is the full ESRB rating as it appears on the board's website, for context:

"This is an action game in which players assume the role of a samurai (Jin Sakai) on a quest for vengeance against Mongol invaders in 13th century Japan. Players traverse open-world environments, interact with characters, complete quests (e.g., assassination), and infiltrate enemy strongholds. Players use samurai swords, poisoned darts, and bows to battle enemies in melee-style combat. Some attacks result in dismemberment and/or decapitation of enemy soldiers, often accompanied by large blood-splatter effects. Players can also perform assassination kills (e.g., neck stabbing, sword impalement) to dispatch enemies quietly. Cutscenes depict additional acts of intense violence: a soldier lit on fire and beheaded; bound civilians lit on fire and burned at the stake; a decapitated man's head held up towards the screen. The game also depicts a man's exposed buttocks as he bathes in a hot spring."

Ghost of Tsushima is scheduled to launch for PlayStation 4 on July 17th. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the upcoming video game right here.

What do you think of what we have seen of Ghost of Tsushima so far? Are you still looking to grab it when it releases in July? Let us know in the comments, or hit me up directly on Twitter at @rollinbishop to talk all things gaming!