Players were sure that the map of the new game was significantly larger than the world of Ghost of Tsushima. In fact, this is not the case: in numbers, the game territory has not increased. The developers admitted that they actually "deceived" the perception of players, creating a sense of huge scale without actually increasing the area.
Instead of endless empty spaces, the team focused on how the player moves around the world. The map was divided into six large regions connected by well-thought-out linear routes. The system is based on contrast:
- open spaces create a sense of freedom;
- narrow passages increase tension and make the journey visually longer;
- the background and horizon use the shape of the mountains and the coastline of Edzo to "stretch" the world beyond the available territory.
According to Joanna Wang, the team stopped asking "how big is the game" and started thinking about "how big it should seem." This approach proved successful – the trick impressed even industry veterans, including Naoki Yoshida from Final Fantasy XIV.
The developers showed that competent work with perspective and the horizon is often more effective than simply increasing the map.