Drew Harrison, a former developer on the game *Ghost of Yotei*, recently spoke out on social media after being let go from Sucker Punch Productions. She claims she’s been the target of online harassment following criticism of her comments about the death of Charlie Kirk.
Harrison, a veteran artist previously with Sony’s *Ghost of Yotei*, lost her job after making an insensitive joke online about a recent tragedy. When called out, she defended her actions. She’s now using BlueSky, a social media platform known for its progressive community, to share her side of the story and claims critics are disrupting her life.
Harrison said the constant negativity and harassment has made him deeply unhappy and ruined his enjoyment of life.
She went on to insist that her removal had no effect on Ghost of Yotei’s development.
The Original Post That Sparked the Controversy
Shortly after Kirk’s death, Harrison posted a controversial statement on her official BlueSky account, saying she hoped the shooter was named Mario, so Luigi would support him.
The comment, which alluded to the tragic shooting involving Kirk, quickly sparked outrage online. Within hours, people across the gaming community – including players, journalists, and developers – criticized Drew Harrison for seemingly celebrating violence and also condemned Sucker Punch for permitting such a statement from one of their long-term employees.
Following her termination from Sucker Punch, Drew Harrison reacted with a further comment, strongly reaffirming her previous stance.
She posted on BlueSky that she’d gladly sacrifice her job of ten years – and do it again without hesitation – if it meant opposing fascism.
Sucker Punch and Sony Confirm Her Termination
Sony has confirmed that Drew Harrison is no longer working at Sucker Punch Productions, according to a statement given to Kotaku.
Brian Fleming, a co-founder of the studio, later explained to PC Gamer that they considered her behavior unacceptable.
“Making light of someone’s murder is a deal-breaker,” he said.
Fleming explained that Sucker Punch strongly disapproves of this behavior and wants to be known for its games’ stories and quality, not for scandal.
Harrison’s New Statement: A “Hate Campaign”
A new post by Harrison on BlueSky in early October reminded many in the gaming community of her work.
She called the negative reaction online a “hate campaign” and said it had made her life miserable.
Looking back, my joke didn’t negatively impact the game, and getting fired didn’t improve it. The harassment campaign just ruined my enjoyment of the whole experience. So, I guess they ‘won’ by making me miserable.
Her recent post was a change from previous statements, presenting her as someone who was harassed instead of someone who intentionally caused trouble. Despite this, she maintained that her firing didn’t affect the creation or success of *Ghost of Yotei*.
So far, Sucker Punch has declined to comment further on the matter.
“You Doubled Down on Hate”
Former World of Warcraft lead Mark Kern, known online as Grummz, criticized Harrison’s defense on X.
The Ghost of Yotei dev says all the joy has been sucked out of her life.
It’s concerning that you’ve expressed hateful sentiments and celebrated the idea of harm coming to Charlie Kirk, and that your online name promotes political violence. This behavior is unacceptable.
You said you would do it again, well Asmongold says he will be…
— Grummz (@Grummz) October 6, 2025
Kern accused the user of celebrating the potential death of Charlie Kirk and encouraging political violence through their online username. He also stated that Asmongold, a streamer, has promised to respond with a video if the user repeats this behavior.
Kern’s reaction reflected a common feeling among gamers: when developers get involved in politics, it can turn players off and hurt the studio’s reputation. Popular streamers like Asmongold also spoke out, disagreeing with Harrison’s original statements and supporting players’ ability to voice their concerns to creators.
@Asmongold has a message for him
— DLibryum (@DLibryum) October 6, 2025
In a recent statement, streamer Asmongold expressed strong disapproval of certain individuals, calling them “disgusting” and stating he wants to make their lives difficult. He specifically criticized people he believes are celebrating violence against those with differing political views, even when that violence occurs in front of children, and then attempting to downplay the severity of those actions.
Conflicting Reports on Ghost of Yotei’s Sales
Several gaming websites are reporting strong sales for *Ghost of Yotei*, but Sony and Sucker Punch haven’t released any official numbers to confirm this. The reports seem to be based on a claim from an unverified source on X (formerly Twitter) that the game sold 1.3 million copies on its first day. So far, no official source has confirmed these figures.
We at That Park Place previously reported, based on a source inside the company, that Sony Japan reduced marketing efforts for the game after initial sales were lower than expected. Sony hasn’t confirmed this report, but it’s been widely discussed online.
Ghost of Yotei is in a difficult spot. While critics like it, reports suggest it’s not selling well, and it’s become entangled in an unwanted controversy.
Broader Context: When Politics Meets Gaming
The recent controversy involving Drew Harrison and Sucker Punch has brought up familiar questions about whether game developers should publicly share strong political views when working for large gaming companies. This isn’t the first time the gaming world has grappled with this issue.
Over the past few years, several people in the video game industry – including writers at Ubisoft and narrative designers at Insomniac – have faced consequences, either through job loss or public apologies, due to controversial political statements. This has sparked debate among fans, with some believing game studios should stay out of politics and others arguing that employees shouldn’t be penalized for their personal opinions expressed outside of work.
Sucker Punch determined that Harrison’s statements went against the company’s principles. However, because she continues to claim she’s being targeted by a hateful campaign, this issue is likely to remain in the public eye for a while.
The Bottom Line
Okay, so here’s what I’ve gathered: Drew Harrison lost her job at Sucker Punch after making a really insensitive joke about Charlie Kirk. Instead of apologizing, she stood by what she said and actually reinforced it. Now, she’s claiming the whole thing is just people unfairly attacking her, and oddly, insists it didn’t impact the development of *Ghost of Yotei*. It’s a pretty messy situation, to be honest.
Without official sales figures from Sony or Sucker Punch, it’s hard to say how the Drew Harrison situation has affected *Ghost of Yotei*. However, it’s clear that this incident is a prime example of how gaming, social media, and current events can intersect – and often create a lot of drama.
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2025-10-10 17:59