With Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut all set to launch on PS5 and PS4 in less than two week's time, Sucker Punch Productions is already setting its sights on what's next for the game. Back in October 2020, the studio shocked fans of the excellent open-world singleplayer adventure with the release of the multiplayer focused Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, just two months after the original game hit store shelves. Fast forward less than a year to the present, and it's getting ready to do the same again with another unexpected addition to the franchise.

Having delivered an engaging cooperative experience in Ghost of Tsushima: Legends' original content, the focus in the newly announced Rivals mode will instead see the island's Ghosts compete against each other in team based contests. Considering the extent to which Sucker Punch was able to craft new mechanics for Legends' first wave of content, on top of what was already available in the main game, players can expect a similarly deep set of gameplay systems to sink their swords into this time around as well.

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Ghost of Tsushima: Legends' Rivals mode is Sucker Punch's take on the PvEvP multiplayer game type, where two sets of duos compete indirectly with one another, whilst battling AI controlled opponents. Taking a leaf from the horde modes found more traditionally in shooters, each competing set of Ghosts fights waves of enemies in order to progress through their side of the level. Because the pairs are unable to directly attack their competition during this quest, an alternate means of slowing down the opposite duo's progress has been implemented instead.

Based on comma shaped beads found throughout prehistoric Japan, players earn Magatama by successfully taking down NPC opponents. This currency can then in turn be spent at Offering Sites found throughout the mode's maps for a range of abilities that can hurt the opposing duo. Ranging from "Shades" that prevent the enemy from retaliating with their own powerups, all the way to "Curses" that drain health over time, the number of options available to players is extensive. This will no doubt have an impact on the longevity of the mode, with the possibility of runs being wildly different likely enhancing its popularity within the overall Ghost of Tsushima package.

Like the Survival and Raid options found within Sucker Punch's first stab at a multiplayer game, Rivals is infused with Japan's supernatural folklore as well. From a lore perspective the mode is justified as being a competition between Tsushima's Sun and Storm Gods, with the island's heroes temporarily turning on each other to fight for their honor. Instead of battling directly, the hordes of the underworld are once again summoned to act as handy intermediaries. Having now implemented co-op and competitive multiplayer options, the ability to square off against another player directly could be something Sucker Punch has saved for a potential Ghost of Tsushima 2.

As it stands Legends' Rivals mode is currently set to release just a couple of weeks after Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut, on September 3. That should give players ample time to acclimate to the diverse blend of stealth and action-centric gameplay mechanics that define every corner of Sucker Punch's recreation of Feudal Japan. Getting to grips with those will be all the more important with the incoming mode on the horizon, as the stakes involved have arguably never been higher. Players now have the chance to test themselves against other humans for the very first time.

Just like the initial release of Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, Sucker Punch has focused on making all of the new content as accessible as possible, too. It's for this reason that Rivals and everything it entails will be free to all players when it launches, regardless of which platform they play on or the version of Ghost of Tsushima they've invested in.

While progression between every incarnation of the game will carry over in a similar vein should they choose to upgrade, players will also have the added ability to play in cross-platform lobbies. That should have the added benefit of keeping the mode's population high for a long time to come, which will be music to the ears of owners of Sony's still elusive PS5.

Rounding out the package is the arrival of shiny new Trophies and cosmetics for collectors to work towards, that are tied exclusively to progression within Rivals. If all of this wasn't enough for players to dive into already, Sucker Punch has also announced that more free content will be coming to Legends throughout September, including an additional Rivals map. Considering the success Sucker Punch has achieved with its surprising fledgling multiplayer experience so far, there's no doubt going to be plenty more for players to sink their teeth into when Rivals ultimately launches.

Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut launches August 20, 2021 for PS4 and PS5.

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