The game is also getting a new story expansion and roguelike mode
Image: Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment
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Sucker Punch Productions is gearing up to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Ghost of Yotei in a big way. The 2025 action-adventure game will receive a snazzy Complete Edition on Oct. 1, and it's packing a whole lot of goodies, including a new expansion.
The Complete Edition was announced today on the official PlayStation blog. The biggest addition is Echoes of Sekigahara, a new narrative split between the game's present day and flashbacks to protagonist Atsu's time on the mainland. The story will take Atsu and the new character Nagato to a previously unexplored valley that served as a base for The Snake and his followers. In the flashback segments, players will experience Atsu's time in the Battle of Sekigahara, a key moment in her life before she began her quest for vengeance in the base game. The expansion will add new enemies, heavy weapons, armor sets, dyes, and more.
A roguelike mode called Most Wanted is also being introduced. In it, players will accept bounties to begin runs. Taking down enemies will unlock perks and additional playable characters. Each character seems to focus on a single weapon type, with Atsu wielding the dual katana, Oyuki the kusarigama, and Nagato the yari.
Ghost of YoteiComplete Edition will cost $69.99. In addition to the new expansion and Most Wanted mode, the game contains all the content previously available in the Digital Deluxe Edition as well as the Charm of Hokkyokusei. If you purchase the Complete Edition by Sept. 30, you'll also unlock the Sakai Armor, inspired by Jin's armor in Ghost of Tsushima. Players who purchase the Complete Edition before Oct. 1 will immediately gain access to the base game and the co-op Legends, with Most Wanted and the story expansion unlocking on release day. A $14.99 Complete Edition Upgrade will also be available so owners of the base game can gain access to Echoes of Sekigahara and Most Wanted.
Even Ghost of Yotei players who don't purchase the Complete Edition will have something to look forward to on Oct. 1. Sucker Punch will be releasing a patch for the base game that adds a new Beauty of Yotei mode that will cycle through shots of the game's environment. You'll also be able to keep an armor set's appearance while using a different set's stats. Finally, a high contrast accessibility option has been added to the game. Sucker Punch will share even more about the new story expansion and roguelike mode in the lead up to the Complete Edition's launch. %!s()
I compared my breakfast experiences at Cracker Barrel and IHOP to see which offered the better value.
Savannah Born
…
For years, I've watched breakfast-serving giants IHOP and Cracker Barrel make moves that have grabbed headlines, including the latest this week.
Cracker Barrel welcomed a new CEO, David Deno, and I'm curious what he has in store for the chain.
He's taking the reins after a turbulent time for the brand. Back in August 2025, as part of a broader turnaround plan, the chain modernized its logo by removing its signature "old timer" character, Uncle Hershel, and rustic barrel.
After about a week of intense customer backlash, the chain reverted to the original logo and suspended its further modernization plans, saying in a statement at the time that Hershel was "not going anywhere — he's family."
The fallout dampened Cracker Barrel's final quarter of the year and, since the rebrand attempt, the chain's quarterly sales have continued to decline.
IHOP, meanwhile, has had some steadier footing. Still, it hasn't been without controversy.
Back in June 2018, the International House of Pancakes was in the hot seat for its divisive "IHOb" campaign, where it temporarily rebranded to focus on burgers. An IHOP spokesperson called the campaign "fun."
It led to mixed reactions on social media, but did appear to boost burger sales. The chain even reported a sales boost at the end of Q2 2026, which may be attributed to some of IHOP's recent viral wins, from trendy Dubai-chocolate pancakes to value-focused menu offerings.
However, sales aren't always an indicator of quality or value. And with all the chatter about these legacy chains, I started to wonder which was truly worth a visit as a customer these days — if either.
To find out, I had Saturday brunch at each, ordering plain black coffee and comparable breakfast samplers.
Here's how the chains stacked up.
I started at Cracker Barrel, which had a classic down-home vibe.
Cracker Barrel was crowded when I visited.
Savannah Born
Cracker Barrel is a Tennessee-based chain operating almost 660 locations across 44 states.
Around since 1969, it's known for Southern comfort food, an all-day breakfast menu, and country stores attached to its restaurants.
The location I visited clearly seemed to embrace its roots, featuring outdoor rocking chairs, farmhouse-style windows and furniture, patriotic bunting, and vintage-style decor.
Nearly every table was occupied.
IHOP was my second stop, and it didn't feel quite as cozy.
Some IHOP locations are open 24 hours.
Savannah Born
Only half a mile away stood IHOP, a significantly larger chain with over 1,800 restaurants worldwide.
Established in California in 1958, IHOP is recognized for its fluffy buttermilk pancakes and expansive breakfast menu, as well as select 24-hour locations.
At around 70% full, this restaurant didn't match the bustle of Cracker Barrel and, by comparison, I felt it lacked character with its minimal design. The leathery booths looked basic but sleek, and the walls were mostly decorated with what appeared to be promotional photos of menu items.
To be fair, IHOP's theme is more "pancakes," not Southern comfort.
Both samplers were similar in price.
At Cracker Barrel (left) and IHOP (right), my pancakes came on the side of my main sampler.
Savannah Born
At Cracker Barrel, I ordered grandma's sampler with two buttermilk pancakes, two scrambled eggs, and a sampling of bacon, sausage, and ham. My meal also came with one side, so I picked hash-brown casserole.
It cost $13.49.
My IHOP breakfast sampler included two buttermilk pancakes, two eggs (again, I chose scrambled), two strips of bacon, two sausage links, two slices of ham, and hash browns.
It came to $14.79.
I started each meal with a coffee, and Cracker Barrel's brew didn't wow me.
Cracker Barrel's coffee wasn't as strong as I prefer.
Savannah Born
As a Starbucks Pike Place girl, I felt Cracker Barrel's brew tasted weak and watered down. It reminded me of instant coffee and wasn't as strong as I usually like.
On the bright side, it wasn't bitter or acidic, and it came out piping hot. My cup cost $3.39, which seemed steep until I learned about the bottomless refills.
IHOP's coffee didn't wow me either, but I liked having my refills right on the table.
I loved having my own pot of coffee at IHOP.
Savannah Born
When my server brought out a personal pot and a darling mug, the coffee experience felt instantly special. A signature IHOP move, yes, but it got me.
The coffee tasted stronger than Cracker Barrel's, though not by much. The pot and mug were highlights, not the coffee itself.
My coffee (also with unlimited refills) cost $3.69.
Cracker Barrel's enormous pancakes took up an entire plate.
The pancakes I got at Cracker Barrel looked huge.
Savannah Born
I was impressed by the sheer size of Cracker Barrel's pancakes, the hefty serving of butter, and the individual syrup bottles.
The pancakes had a classic buttermilk flavor and a sweet, nostalgic taste, even without syrup. More spongy than soft, they had a chewy bite — not fluffy," per se, but still enjoyable.
IHOP's pancakes were smaller and fluffier.
IHOP's pancakes had a pleasant buttery flavor.
Savannah Born
I had high expectations for IHOP's pancakes, and they delivered.
Light and pillowy with a cake-like softness, these went above and beyond in the texture department.
Taste-wise, they were rich, slightly tangy, and more buttery than sweet, so the syrup brought the perfect balance. I opted for old-fashioned syrup, just one of the four options sitting on the table.
The butter wasn't as generous as Cracker Barrel's, nor was the size, but these pancakes made up for it in thickness.
I wouldn't order Cracker Barrel's scrambled eggs again.
The scrambled eggs I had weren't my favorite.
Savannah Born
I prefer my scrambled eggs airy and moist, not dense and dry.
Unfortunately, the eggs I got at Cracker Barrel this time seemed overcooked, and the flavor didn't redeem them. In fact, they didn't taste like much of anything to me, even after I added salt.
Next time, I might try ordering my eggs cooked differently here.
IHOP's scrambled eggs had a unique flavor.
The scrambled eggs at IHOP tasted cheesy.
Savannah Born
Soft, bodied, and well-salted, IHOP's scrambled eggs felt like the opposite of Cracker Barrel's.
They tasted buttery and a hint cheesy — delicious yet surprising, since, as far as I can tell, the scramble did not include either ingredient.
Cracker Barrel's bacon was OK.
Cracker Barrel's bacon had a salty, smoky taste.
Savannah Born
If bacon is crisp and tender, salty and smoky, it's bound to be a win for me.
Cracker Barrel's bacon hit most of the above, but it missed on crispiness. I wished the strips had more crunch and less fat.
IHOP's bacon was a bit too greasy for me.
I found IHOP's bacon to be too greasy — and not in a good way.
Savannah Born
I thought Cracker Barrel's bacon was fatty, but IHOP's made it seem less so. On these strips, I couldn't dodge the rubbery parts.
To its credit, the bacon had a solid flavor. However, the squishy texture and excess grease made it a hard pass for me.
Cracker Barrel's sausage came as a patty.
The sausage was tasty but small.
Savannah Born
Small but mighty, the sausage patty had a surprisingly bold, smoky flavor. It tasted cured — almost like ham.
The patty was smaller than the palm of my hand, and I wish the portion size had been a bit bigger.
IHOP's sausage links felt classic.
I enjoy a classic breakfast sausage.
Savannah Born
Distinct from Cracker Barrel's single patty, IHOP's sampler came with two links.
They were the definition of breakfast sausage links: salted, spiced, and juicy on the inside. I enjoyed them dipped in syrup.
Cracker Barrel's hash-brown casserole was the highlight of the meal.
Cracker Barrel's hash-brown casserole is baked.
Savannah Born
I took a break from breakfast meats to try hash-brown casserole. It features shredded potatoes, Colby cheese, onions, and the chain's signature seasoning blend, all baked together.
I'd go back to the restaurant for this side alone.
These spuds had a robust flavor. The onion and spices popped, as did the cheese. It evoked a cozy, comforting loaded potato, seasoned to perfection.
I enjoyed the oven-browned top and the soft, not-soggy middle. My only critique: The top could have been crispier. However, I chalked it up to the dish being baked rather than fried.
IHOP's hash browns were crispy, but they couldn't compete with Cracker Barrel's.
IHOP's hash browns were solid, but they didn't impress me a ton.
Savannah Born
With golden edges and caramelized bits, all shimmering with oil, I knew IHOP's hash browns would be crispy.
Unfortunately, the taste wasn't as exciting. These hash browns reminded me of bland tots, and they left me dreaming of Cracker Barrel's casserole version.
I didn't find Cracker Barrel's ham to be particularly appetizing.
The ham at Cracker Barrel wasn't my favorite.
Savannah Born
When I saw a multicolored and segmented slice of ham on my plate, I was skeptical. Although the portion size seemed decent, it didn't look super appetizing to me.
Cracker Barrel's ham had a bacon-like flavor and a tough, chewy texture. I could forgive the flavor, but the firmness made it difficult to eat. I wouldn't get this again.
I much preferred IHOP's ham.
The ham at IHOP had tasty glazed edges.
Savannah Born
After Cracker Barrel, I hoped for a regular slice of ham at IHOP. I got two.
IHOP's ham didn't feel like anything special, but I approved of the uniform color, tenderness, and nice glazed edges. Above all else, I was glad it tasted like ham and wasn't overly chewy.
Overall, both chains felt like a bargain.
My meals at Cracker Barrel (left) and IHOP (right) both felt like a solid deal.
Savannah Born
Before tax and tip, my sampler and coffee cost $16.88 at Cracker Barrel and $18.48 at IHOP.
Considering the amount of food I got, both chains seemed like a great value.
Neither restaurant checked every box, but IHOP checked more of them.
My IHOP breakfast (right) ended up beating my Cracker Barrel breakfast (left).
Savannah Born
Yes, my IHOP meal cost $1.60 more, but I felt it came with double the bacon, sausage, and ham. The breakfast meats weren't my favorite, but they still felt like a bigger bang for my buck.
I also liked that its breakfast menu had significantly more variety, with all the basics and then some. Above all else, of the seven items I tested, I preferred IHOP's version for five of them.
In the end, just one item at each chain truly blew me away. For me, the only things worth going back for were the hash-brown casserole at Cracker Barrel and the buttermilk pancakes at IHOP.
I'm especially tempted by the latter, especially with varieties like protein, tres leches, and cheesecake on the menu.
Business Insider reached out to IHOP and Cracker Barrel for comment.
Read next
Savannah Born is an experienced writer with bylines in Business Insider, Forbes, Us Weekly, and other publications. With interests spanning from lifestyle and wellness to personal finance and consumer culture, Born is always on the lookout for trends, fresh ideas and insights that make life better.
A trader watches the screen at his terminal on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York.
Lucas Jackson | Reuters
After years of standing in the sun, retail investors could have a dark cloud forming over their heads.
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Technological advancements helped level the playing field for Main Street and Wall Street investors over decades. Following the Covid trading boom and a banner performance in 2025, individual investors became a mainstay of today's markets and shook off their "dumb money" stigma.
But advocates for small investors now warn that efforts to change corporate earnings, Federal Reserve communication and social media access could undo a sizable chunk of that progress. These shifts would disadvantage retail investors at a time when they are a more powerful force than ever in financial markets.
"We are almost taking steps backwards," said Hardika Singh, economic strategist at asset manager Fundstrat. "It's almost making me wonder: Are we sort of entering this information blackout age for a very important subset of the stock market?"
There's three key storylines market participants are tracking that could hurt the retail crowd:
1. Corporate earnings changes
The Securities and Exchange Commission in May backed President Donald Trump's proposal for public companies to report earnings biannually instead of quarterly. SEC Chairman Paul Atkins said in a statement that the organization's "rigid" rules have stopped companies from finding a reporting cadence that "best serves their business needs."
Investors acknowledge that required quarterly reports can strain corporate resources and keep firms from going public. But having less of these audited releases could result in an information vacuum for retail investors, according to Siebert Financial's Mark Malek. More unofficial content or misinformation could arise as a result, he said.
Quarterly earnings reports are "the gold standard," said Malek, the firm's investing chief. "Taking that away is definitely disadvantaging the retail investor."
In a poll on retail investing platform Moomoo, U.S. CEO Neil McDonald found that most users disliked the prospect of switching to a twice-yearly reporting cycle. If retail investors have less-frequent insight into financial performance, McDonald said that they would likely become more hesitant to invest in small-cap, high-growth companies.
McDonald remembers working at Goldman Sachs in the 1980s when analysts would jet off to a company's headquarters to collect earnings reports. The analyst would dictate the results by phone, allowing the bank to quickly alert its institutional clients. A retail investor likely wouldn't know how the company performed until the newspaper arrived a day later, he said.
Wall Street has a history of using unconventional mechanisms when official information is difficult to find. Before the SEC mandated quarterly earnings in 1970, firms tracked data like weekly rail car loadings for clues on the direction of economic activity. When China was a black box for American investors, traders followed coal shipments to the country as a leading indicator for production.
Freight rail cars sit in a rail yard on November 22, 2022 in Wilmington, California.
Mario Tama | Getty Images
If there are fewer earnings reports, institutional investors will be able to lean on their teams of analysts, who often have direct access to a company's C-suite. Small-scale investors, on the other hand, typically only hear directly from these executives by listening into earnings calls or tracking their public appearances.
"The chief financial officer is not likely going to take a call from Joe Blow," said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research, whose firm advertises services for both big and small investors. "But they would take a call from a very high-profile institutional investor."
2. Less Fed communication
New Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh has cut down the central bank's policy meeting statement and removed forward guidance. Warsh, who has promised sweeping changes in how the Fed communicates, also floated the idea of having fewer of these gatherings.
Hearing less from the Fed can make it harder for retail to set expectations for the economy and monetary policy, which can be important factors when deciding overall portfolio allocation. Additionally, small investors have a penchant for technology stocks whose growth outlooks are dependent in part on borrowing costs determined by the Fed.
Kevin Warsh, chairman of the US Federal Reserve, during a news conference following a Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, July 29, 2026.
Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Markets have already had less clear of a consensus heading into the first two Fed meetings under Warsh when compared against recent history. With less policy hints from the Fed, investors anticipate more volatility after policy decisions are announced.
Wall Street firms have built out artificial intelligence-powered tools to keep a handle on the Fed in the lower-communication environment. Several of these institutions have economists — and, in many cases, Fed alumni — on staff to predict what the central bank's next move could mean for markets.
If the macroeconomic picture becomes harder to gauge, CFRA's Stovall said small investors may look to financial advisors for help.
3. The Truth API service
Truth Media & Technology Group's launch of Truth API — a paid data service providing faster access to Truth Social posts — heightened the concern of retail investors having the cards stacked against them.
Kevin McGurn, Trump Media's interim CEO, said in a statement around its release this month that the API provides "a direct, licensed, real-time feed of the platform's most market-moving Truths." Trump Media did not respond to CNBC's questions about the cost of the offering or how early of access it offers.
Multiple of the S&P 500's best and worst days during Trump's second term have been driven by posts he made on Truth Social, a Fundstrat data analysis found.
"He has the market in the palm of his hands," said Fundstrat's Singh. "Never before in history has a president exerted this level of control via social media."
Several investors told CNBC that Trump is incentivized to make more market-moving Truth Social posts to drum up interest in the API. Trump's family is the largest shareholder in Trump Media, which reported more than $230 million in net losses during the second quarter.
Siebert's Malek likened Truth API to the push among big trading firms in recent years to move their servers closer to those of exchanges. The idea was that the proximity would allow them to get information even a few milliseconds before competitors, resulting in earlier trades, he said.
Malek said Siebert isn't planning to pay for access to Truth API. However, he said the offering should provide an advantage for big investors looking to time the market.
Cheng Xin | Getty Images News | Getty Images
There's a silver lining for long term-focused retail investors who can handle increased volatility, according to Douglas Yones, CEO of exchange-traded fund manager Direxion. If Trump's future posts drive down the market, he said retail investors will have additional opportunities to buy pullbacks in equities.
"You don't need to subscribe to that API," said Yones, a former executive at the New York Stock Exchange. "What you need to do is be ready for the outsized movement."
A level playing field?
Even if big money ends up with the upper-hand, market participants said they should still be concerned if retail traders are cast out.
Retail investors have been credited with fearlessly loading up on stocks in recent years, providing a baseline of inflows that has helped the current bull market become one of the longest on record. Individual investors bought the dip during 2025's tariff-related market selloff while their institutional counterparts ran for the hills.
Singh said that having a higher number of retail investors in the market allows for better "price discovery," meaning that values attributed to a security are more fairly determined. If these changes take effect, the strategist said the broader market could feel negative ramifications as soon as this year.
But even with these potential speed bumps, Bret Kenwell, eToro's U.S. investment analyst, expects retail to continue taking up a bigger slice of the overall pie. The stage is set for this year: Citadel found that overall activity among individual traders hit a record in June.
"I don't think any of these developments would be enough to drive retail investors out of the market," Kenwell said. "It's a question of whether it remains a level playing field for them."
Tehran, Iran – Shortly after meeting China’s ambassador, Iran’s new security chief left no room for doubt about Tehran’s position after nearly six months of war with the United States.
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“Iran’s message is clear: The Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until the US ends the war and blockade, releases Iran’s frozen assets, and agrees to a region-wide ceasefire, including in Lebanon and Gaza,” Mohsen Rezaei said in a social media post late on Tuesday.
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“Until all conditions are met, the Strait will remain closed,” added the former wartime commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
His defiant message was in line with conditions emphasised by his predecessor, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, and by newly appointed commanders as Iranian authorities maintain that they are willing and capable of continuing to stand up to their opponents in the US-Israel war on Iran.
In his first meeting as secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Rezaei sat down with a delegation led by China’s envoy to Tehran, Cong Peiwu, on Tuesday. State media said he pushed for closer ties with China, praised its unwillingness to go along with US-backed resolutions targeting Iran at the United Nations, and said any potential deal with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz is separate from Washington.
But an arrangement with Oman, which Tehran said last week had been finalised and was awaiting confirmation at the top, still does not appear imminent, with military action continuing in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
A merchant ship appeared to have been hit by a projectile off the coast of Oman on Sunday night, when Rezaei’s appointment was announced. The Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen launched their deadliest recent maritime attack on Tuesday, hitting an Egyptian-owned ship in the Red Sea in an attack that killed six people, according to the Houthis’ rival, Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
The US military reported an overnight attack on Tuesday, saying a US Navy helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at a Panama-flagged vessel in order to enforce its naval blockade of Iran’s southern ports. This marked the 12th vessel attacked by US forces since April, and the third since the blockade resumed almost a month ago after the collapse of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that was signed by Iran and the US in June.
With the 60-day period of the repeatedly violated MoU approaching next week, mediators such as Pakistan and Qatar have said they are continuing efforts to bring the two sides closer to a diplomatic solution.
Yet the rhetoric from Tehran has only hardened over the past week, with the IRGC indicating that it aims to take threats from the administration of US President Donald Trump, including to further strike Iran’s power plants and civilian infrastructure, more seriously.
“If Iran is threatened again, hundreds of thousands of miles of energy lines, thousands of power plants, all the American and non-American systems, and even global infrastructure connected to the internet will be exposed to threat,” IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi said on Wednesday.
“The US had about 30 to 40 war vessels in the region before the war, but today not even a single US warship is present in the Persian Gulf,” he said, adding that the declining level of key air defence missiles and precision munitions in the Pentagon’s arsenal was a “big threat” facing US decision-makers.
Mohammad Reza Naqdi, an adviser to the IRGC’s chief commander, claimed on state television on Tuesday night that the force has continued to produce more ballistic missiles and drones during the war than it has been firing across the region, relying predominantly on native know-how and capabilities.
“Even if the war takes several years, our ballistic missiles would still descend on our enemies,” he said.
Military integration
In appointing six new figures to leading military posts this week, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei consolidated a small circle of trusted officials, including longtime ally Hossein Taeb as the new head of the paramilitary Basij force of the IRGC.
Khamenei also selected Ali Abdollahi, head of the Khatam al-Anbiya joint wartime command, to lead the General Staff of Armed Forces.
Abdollahi is tasked with integrating the Khatam headquarters, which was formed during the eight-year war with Iraq in the 1980s to coordinate operations between the then-nascent IRGC and Iran’s regular army, with the general staff overseeing all armed personnel.
In his post-appointment message, Abdollahi emphasised upgrading capabilities across missiles, drones, naval, ground, cyber and asymmetric warfare, in addition to closer inter-service coordination and naval readiness to take action around the Strait of Hormuz.
IRGC commander-in-chief Ahmad Vahidi said he would cooperate with the other military leaders in order to resist the “Zionist-American arrogance”.
Battling an exacerbating economic crunch, President Masoud Pezeshkian suggested on Wednesday that the opponents of the Islamic Republic may be looking to defeat it by banking on another round of nationwide protests on the back of public discontent.
“The current war is more complex than before, and the enemy is pursuing collapse from inside the country,” he said during a speech.
Ali Akbar Javidan, head of the police border guard in the western province of Kurdistan in Iran, said on Wednesday that US claims that Iraq-based separatist Kurdish fighters could potentially launch a ground assault on Iranian soil were “delusional”.
“The country’s borders are fully safe and impenetrable through the vigilance of border personnel and the backing of people living in border areas, including the brave people of Kurdistan, Sistan and Baluchistan, and Khuzestan,” he was quoted as saying by state media.
In the meantime, most of Iran’s population of about 90 million people continues to weather the worsening impact of war and uncertainty, as well as a tightening security grip at home.
“I have given up on predicting what’s going to happen,” Jamshid, a 36-year-old resident of central Tehran, told Al Jazeera.
“I don’t expect anything to get better this year, or maybe even next year,” he said. “I just hope this situation doesn’t last a lot longer than that, because most of our youth is already gone dealing with these things.” %!s()
New Test captain Joe Root has abolished the midnight curfew imposed on the England teams - only seven months after it was introduced.
The removal is the latest update to rules surrounding the behaviour of their players - regulations that have come under scrutiny across this year.
… %!s()
The curfew was introduced in January after a number of late-night incidents on the tours of New Zealand and Australia.
Following the first Test of the home summer - a win against New Zealand - former Test captain Ben Stokes broke the curfew in a nightclub in London, sparking a series of events that eventually led to his retirement from international cricket.
In the aftermath of the nightclub incident, director of cricket Rob Key considered imposing a total alcohol ban on the England players.
Then-Test coach Brendon McCullum admitted to "ambiguity" surrounding the communication of the curfew, with new guidelines on it and the consumption of alcohol issued to the England players last month.
But before Root's first Test back in charge, against Pakistan at Headingley next week, he has relaxed the rules and said: "Let's be adults."
The curfew has also been lifted for the white-ball team, despite no change in the leadership of the one-day and T20 sides.
Led by coach McCullum and captain Harry Brook, the limited-overs sides will also no longer have to abide by the midnight rule.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Root said: "There's not going to be a curfew. I don't think this needs to be a big deal, to be honest."
A curfew was first put in place during Root's first spell as Test captain, between 2017 and 2022, and introduced after drinking incidents on the Ashes tour of 2017-18.
It was abolished when Stokes took over as captain in 2022, only to then be reintroduced earlier this year.
Now it has been scrapped again as Root begins his second spell as captain.
McCullum has been replaced as Test coach by fellow New Zealander Stephen Fleming, although he will not be in place for the three matches against Pakistan, with Marcus Trescothick acting as the interim coach.
"My view on curfews is that I don't think they work and if you want guys to take responsibility on the field, they've got to feel like they can be grown adults off it and make good, strong decisions off it," added Root.
"And that's for us as a team to manage well, and self-police well, for me and Flem to manage well in many ways."
The curfew was first imposed on the white-ball team in January for their tour of Sri Lanka and the T20 World Cup that followed.
It came after Brook was punched by a nightclub bouncer in Wellington and opener Ben Duckett was filmed, apparently drunk, on England's mid-Ashes holiday in Noosa.
The curfew remained in place for the Test team in the home summer, although there was confusion surrounding the terms and how it was communicated.
Stokes and pace bowler Gus Atkinson were out past midnight following the victory over New Zealand at Lord's, when a member of the England security staff was punched by a Saracens rugby player.
The pair missed the second Test against the Black Caps while the incident was investigated, and were ultimately cleared of wrongdoing. After he returned for the third Test, Stokes announced midway through the match at Trent Bridge it would be his last for England.
Root said: "Ultimately, you're grown adults, you know what it takes to play for England, you know what your responsibilities are off the field and we need to make sure we don't find ourselves with any of those situations, off the field, to manage.
"We should be known for how we play our cricket and what we do on the field. We should be on the back page of the papers, and people reading about that sort of stuff. So, that's as much as I've got to say on it.
"Let's be adults. Look after yourselves, look after each other, create a good, strong culture where you know the right time is to celebrate and enjoy a win, or to have a sensible beer or whatever. And remember you're playing for England."
A statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board added: "We have a Test captain and coach, who are looking at how they set team standards and culture.
"As part of this, the curfew will no longer be in place. We will ensure all players have a clear understanding of expectations when they come together for the upcoming Test series."
The removal of the curfew is a partial U-turn on behavioural guidelines that were issued last month and also recommended no alcohol be consumed on the day immediately before, during or on the day immediately after a match.
If players do choose to drink in the period before, during or after matches, it should not be in public.
They have also been strongly discouraged from drinking in private, in order to aid preparation, recovery and professionalism.
The guidelines apply only to the England senior men's teams. All other England sides - the women, Lions and age-group teams - have their own rules. England women do not have formal rules on alcohol.
Last week, Stokes denied the England team has a problem with alcohol, but instead said "cricket has a drinking culture and that has not changed".
Analysis - Curfew introduced, broken, argued over, clarified and now scrapped
Another day, another change in the rules governing the behaviour of the England men's teams.
This year alone, a curfew has been introduced, broken, argued over, clarified and now scrapped.
It is a poor look for the top level of English cricket that there remains a hokey-cokey over a curfew first introduced almost a decade ago. It's worth reiterating these rules have only ever applied to the senior men - not the pathway or women's teams.
Should grown men and professional athletes require their bedtime in writing? It raises questions about the attitude of cricket as a whole.
Stokes was right when he said last week there exists a drinking culture in the sport, not only the England team.
The reputation of the men's side has taken a severe battering on and off the pitch in the past year.
The new leadership team of Root and Fleming has the opportunity to repair the damage, starting with some wins on the field. The noises from the ECB are that Fleming is a "grown-up" - and England have certainly lacked maturity in recent times.
Although Root's arrival as Test captain presents the opportunity to lift the curfew, the situation around the white-ball team is odd.
The limited-overs side was the first to be placed under the curfew, and their leadership team of Brook and McCullum remains unchanged, so why is that curfew now scrapped?
Clearly it would be odd to have one England side under a curfew and not another, and it's understood McCullum is supportive of this new approach. So, was he therefore not supportive of the curfew being introduced in the first place?
And what kind of behaviour are we going to see from the England team when they meet in Leeds on Monday? What would be the consequences of another misdemeanour?
"Let's be adults," said Root. England have tried that before and failed. What now? %!s()
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