I have a confession: I have spent an unreasonable amount of time in 2026 thinking about a duel from 2020. Not a real duel, obviously. I mean the final showdown in Ghost of Tsushima, where Jin Sakai and Lord Shimura trade haikus, then sword strokes, then emotional damage. And because I am a professional game player with a brain that refuses to file away old samurai drama, I keep asking the same question: which ending should be canon for a sequel?
Spoiler warning: if you have not finished Ghost of Tsushima, maybe go do that. It is 2026. The game is old enough to have its own childhood memories. Anyway, the final battle is mostly the same for everyone. Jin and Shimura say their farewells, the music swells, and then players defeat Shimura. After that, the game hands you the emotional equivalent of a live grenade: grant Shimura his wish for an honorable death, or spare him.
If you kill Shimura, you get the 'Honorable' ending. Jin abides by the samurai code, kills his uncle, and probably needs a thousand years of therapy. If you spare him, you get the 'Dishonorable' ending. Jin cuts ties with the samurai way, lets Shimura live, and fully becomes The Ghost. Both endings hurt. One hurts like a clean blade. The other hurts like a blade you left in the rain for six months.
Here is my hot take, served with a side of virtual green tea: the Dishonorable ending is far more compelling for a sequel. It shows Jin carving out his own path. He is no longer tethered to his samurai past. He is the myth, the legend, the guy who poisons camps and then politely bows to a fox. Throughout the game, The Ghost becomes a mythical figure among Tsushima's residents because he protects them with brutal, effective tactics. If he kills Shimura, though, he risks becoming a menace. Shimura did nothing wrong. He was just following the samurai code, like a very stern uncle who read one book and decided it was the only book.
But here is the thing about sequels: they hate branching narratives. A direct follow-up cannot easily ask, 'Did you kill your uncle or not?' and then build two completely different games. Sucker Punch would probably have to pick one canonical ending. And despite how juicy the Dishonorable path is, the Honorable ending seems more likely to be canon. It ties things up quicker. It avoids too many retcons. It gives Jin a permanent scar on his soul, which is great for storytelling and terrible for his sleep schedule.
Let us compare the two paths like a couple of dueling haikus.
| Ending | What happens | Sequel potential | My emotional state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honorable | Jin kills Shimura | Jin is haunted by guilt and authority figures get awkward | A wreck |
| Dishonorable | Jin spares Shimura | Jin fully becomes The Ghost, but Shimura's fate is loose | Also a wreck |
If players spared Shimura, Sucker Punch could still make the Honorable ending canon with one line of dialogue. Shimura could have later succumbed to his injuries from the battle. He seemed to sustain plenty. Jin would not have been present because he was on the run, so the writers could explain it quickly. Jin would still question whether he should have honored his uncle's wishes. The guilt and remorse would remain. That is efficient, painful, and very samurai.
As of 2026, the direct sequel question is still a spicy topic. Sucker Punch has moved on to Ghost of Yotei, which takes the series to a new era and a new hero, Atsu. That game is not Ghost of Tsushima 2 in the traditional sense, but it proves the franchise still has plenty of blood left in its blade. Meanwhile, job listings and PlayStation chatter have kept the idea of a Jin Sakai continuation alive. I am not saying I check for Ghost of Tsushima 2 news every morning. I am saying I check every morning, noon, and whenever my cat walks across my keyboard.
Ultimately, whether Jin spared or killed Shimura, both endings brought Ghost of Tsushima's story to a natural conclusion. But if a sequel ever picks up Jin's story, the writers will have to decide what happened to his uncle and surrogate father. My heart wants the Dishonorable path because it is messy and mythic. My head says the Honorable path is more practical. My soul just wants Jin to get a hug and maybe a nice hot spring that does not have Mongols hiding behind it.
For now, I will keep replaying that final duel in my mind, wondering which version of Jin Sakai will ride again. If Sucker Punch ever announces Ghost of Tsushima 2, I will be there. Probably crying. Definitely overthinking a video game ending from 2020. And honestly? I would not have it any other way. 🗡️😭