Ghost of Tsushima is a PS4 exclusive that will be remembered for so many things. It was the PlayStation 4’s fastest selling new IP debut with 2.4 million copies sold in its first 3 days. And it also made history in the gaming scene for being the third Western video game to receive a perfect 40/40 score from Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu.

The impact of the game has also went beyond gaming, as back in 2020 the Nagasaki Prefecture, which Tsushima is a part of, partnered with Ghost of Tsushima to help promote tourism for the location. Fast forward to 2021 and just at the start of the year, Ghost of Tsushima is once again helping the location that inspired it.

The Torii Gate of the Watatsumi Shrine located in real-life Tsushima was unfortunately destroyed in a typhoon. Yuichi Hirayama, the shrine priest then started a crowdfunding campaign in Campfire (a Japanese equivalent of Kickstarter) to raise money to repair it, the goal of which was 5 Million Yen. Long story short, the crowdfunding campaign was a smashing success. As reported by Famitsu, not only was the amount to repair the Torii Gate reached, but the goal was also exceeded by almost 542%, totaling over 27 Million Yen. To top thing off, a large number of those who contributed were Ghost of Tsushima fans. Sweet!

It’s really wonderful to hear news like this where a game was somehow able to positively impact the real world. The setting of Ghost of Tsushima may be a fictional depiction of the Island, but it no doubt made such an impression that the players of the game simply, in a way, gave back to the location that inspired their favorite game. Beyond Ghost of Tsushima, it also showed how gamers’ passion can have positive impacts when channeled in the proper way. Hopefully when things go back to normal in the world these players in Japan will get a chance to visit Tsushima and the Torii Gate they helped repair. That will be one pilgrimage to remember.