Former Ghost of Yotei developer Drew Harrison has resurfaced on social media weeks after being fired from Sucker Punch Productions, claiming that gamers have waged a “harassment campaign” against her following the widespread backlash to her comments mocking the death of Charlie Kirk.
Harrison, a senior artist who worked on Sony’s Ghost of Yotei, was terminated after joking about the tragedy online — then doubled down when confronted. She has since returned to BlueSky, the progressive social media platform, to defend herself and accuse critics of destroying her peace of mind.
“The hate campaign that’s been directed at me has sucked all the joy out of my life,” Harrison wrote.
She went on to insist that her removal had no effect on Ghost of Yotei’s development.
The Original Post That Sparked the Controversy
On her verified BlueSky account, Harrison posted the now-infamous line: “I hope the shooter’s name is Mario so that Luigi knows his bro got his back,” shortly after Kirk was killed.
Sucker Punch Senior Dev Drew Harrison mocks Charlie Kirk on BlueSky – BlueSky
The remark — referencing Kirk’s tragic shooting — was almost immediately condemned online. Within hours, players, journalists, and developers alike criticized Drew Harrison for appearing to celebrate violence and condemned Sucker Punch for allowing the celebration of political violence from its longtime employees.
After Sucker Punch acted and fired her, Drew Harrison responded in a follow-up comment where she doubled down.
“If standing up against fascism is what cost me my dream job I held for 10 years, I would do it again 100x stronger,” she said on BlueSky.
Sucker Punch and Sony Confirm Her Termination
Sony confirmed the firing through a statement to Kotaku, saying: “Drew Harrison is no longer an employee of Sucker Punch Productions.”
Studio co-founder Brian Fleming later told PC Gamer that the company viewed her actions as unacceptable.
“Making light of someone’s murder is a deal-breaker,” he said.
Drew Harrison comments on being fired from Sucker Punch after celebrating the death of Charlie Kirk – BlueSky
Fleming added that Sucker Punch “doesn’t condone or excuse” such behavior and wanted to ensure that its public image remained focused on storytelling and craft, not controversy.
Harrison’s New Statement: A “Hate Campaign”
Harrison’s new BlueSky post, published in early October, brought her name back into the gaming community.
She described the online backlash as a “hate campaign” and claimed the experience had “sucked all the joy” from her life.
Former Sucker Punch Dev Drew Harrison claiming there was a “harassment campaign” against her over her comments mocking the death of Charlie Kirk – BlueSky
“As it turns out my joke didn’t make the game do any worse, my firing didn’t make the game do any better,” she said, speaking about Ghost of Yotei. “So really the only thing that the harassment campaign succeeded in was sucking all the joy out of my life. So I guess that’s a W.”
While her previous statements showed little remorse, the new post shifted tone — portraying her as a victim of harassment rather than a provocateur. However, she also insisted that her termination “had no impact” on Ghost of Yotei’s production or performance.
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.
Good. You doubled down on your hate and celebration of Charlie Kirk’s death and continue to promote political violence in your screen name.
You said you would do it again, well Asmongold says he will be… pic.twitter.com/vnM82y1aGY
— Grummz (@Grummz) October 6, 2025
“You doubled down on your hate and celebration of Charlie Kirk’s death and continue to promote political violence in your screen name,” Kern wrote. “You said you would do it again — well, Asmongold says he’ll be ready with another video when you do.”
Kern’s response echoed a broader sentiment within the gaming community — that political activism by developers can alienate players and damage public trust in their studios. Prominent streamers like Asmongold had also weighed in, criticizing Harrison’s initial comments and defending players’ right to hold creators accountable.
@Asmongold has a message for him pic.twitter.com/ZLiaq28eTx
— DLibryum (@DLibryum) October 6, 2025
“I think these people are disgusting animals and I want to make sure their lives are as unpleasant as possible,” YouTube personality Asmongold said. “These peoiple are disgusting f***ing freaks that are celebrating people being murdered in front of their children for having a different political view than them and then trying to patronize and act like it’s not a big deal.”
Conflicting Reports on Ghost of Yotei’s Sales
Several gaming outlets have claimed that Ghost of Yotei is performing exceptionally well commercially. However, no verified sales data has been released by Sony or Sucker Punch to support those claims. These reports appear to be working off a X post from a supposed insider account who claimed that the game sold 1.3 million units in its first day. However, these reports are unconfirmed by any official channels.
An X post claiming Ghost of Yotei sold 1.3 million copies in a single day – X, @millieamand
At the same time, we here at That Park Place previously reported—based on an internal source—that Sony Japan quietly scaled back marketing for the title due to underperforming early numbers. That report remains unverified by Sony, but has circulated widely online.
This leaves Ghost of Yotei in a strange position: praised critically, rumored to be struggling commercially, and caught in the wake of a controversy no developer wants to own.
Broader Context: When Politics Meets Gaming
The Drew Harrison Sucker Punch situation has reignited old tensions over whether developers should express strong political opinions while representing major studios. It’s not the first time the gaming industry has faced this dilemma.
A screenshot from Ghost of Yōtei (2025), Sucker Punch
Recent years have seen several high-profile firings or public apologies over politically charged remarks — from Ubisoft writers to Insomniac narrative designers. Many fans argue that studios should remain neutral, while others believe employees shouldn’t be punished for personal views shared off the clock.
For Sucker Punch, the decision was clear: Harrison’s comments violated company values. But her continued insistence that she’s the victim of a “hate campaign” may keep this story alive for some time.
The Bottom Line
The verified facts show that Drew Harrison was fired from Sucker Punch after publicly joking about Charlie Kirk’s death. She then defended her statement and doubled down. She has since started framing the backlash as targeted harassment and claimed her firing had no effect on Ghost of Yotei.
A screenshot from Ghost of Yōtei (2025), Sucker Punch
Until Sony or Sucker Punch provide official sales numbers, the impact of this Drew Harrison controversy on Ghost of Yotei remains uncertain. But one thing is clear: Harrison has become the latest case study in how politics, social media, and gaming culture collide — often with explosive results.
How do you feel about these comments by former Sucker Punch dev Drew Harrison? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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