Ghost of Yotei’s Success Doesn’t Shield Sucker Punch Layoffs
Despite selling more than five million copies since its launch last year, Sucker Punch Productions is cutting staff. An internal email confirmed by Aftermath says 26 employees out of the roughly 229‑person studio will be let go. Leadership points to “challenges in the market” and says the reductions are tied to planning for the studio’s next project, though the specifics of that game remain unclear.
After reviewing market conditions and the team’s needs for the upcoming title, the company decided to eliminate several positions. “This is a hard day,” the statement read, adding that they will share more details next week about the future.
The layoffs come at a time when Ghost of Yotei was named Sony’s best‑selling title of 2025, a fact highlighted by IGN. The irony is that soaring development costs and tight corporate budgets may be the real obstacles, rather than a lack of demand.
Before Ghost of Yotei and its predecessor Ghost of Tsushima, Sucker Punch was known for the Infamous and Sly Cooper series. The studio joined Sony in August 2011, just two months after Infamous 2 launched on the PlayStation 3.
