Ghost of Yotei, the at-one-time highly anticipated follow-up from Sucker Punch Productions, is facing an unprecedented backlash — not from one side of the political spectrum, but from both. What began as outrage from conservatives over a developer mocking the assassination of Charlie Kirk has now spiraled into calls for a Ghost of Yotei boycott from left-wing activists angry at the studio for terminating that same employee.
The Spark: A Comment About Charlie Kirk
The controversy started when senior artist Drew Harrison, a longtime Sucker Punch developer, made a social media comment joking about Kirk’s assassination.
Sucker Punch Senior Dev Drew Harrison mocks Charlie Kirk on BlueSky – BlueSky
The backlash was immediate. Critics argued that cheering on violence against a political activist crossed a line. Soon after, Sony confirmed to Kotaku that Harrison was “no longer an employee” at Sucker Punch. However, neither Sony nor Sucker Punch ever directly addressed the controversy or condemned the statement by Harrison, leading to even more backlash from conservative gamers.
Conservatives Cancel Pre-Orders
On the right, the reaction was swift. Fans began canceling their pre-orders of Ghost of Yotei, posting screenshots of their refund confirmations and plans to boycott the game.
A screenshot from Ghost of Yōtei (2025), Sucker Punch
Many said they could not support a company employing someone who celebrated Kirk’s killing. For them, this was about free speech and respect for life. Many expressed their outrage that a developer felt comfortable mocking a murder victim and a AAA company was unwilling to condemn that publicly.
The Left Fires Back
Sucker Punch’s refusal to address the issue intensified backlash from the right. And instead of putting out the flames, Sucker Punch’s decision to part ways with Harrison actually sparked a second fire.
Activists on BlueSky are now furious that the studio “caved” to what they call right-wing pressure. These calls for a Ghost of Yotei boycott were compiled by YouTuber MasterOfTheTDS of the Gothic Therapy YouTube channel.
Bluesky is losing it!
People now want to boycott Ghost of Yotei because Sucker Punch fired Drew Harrison for her vile Charlie Kirk posts. Some are calling it “fascist support” and a “right wing cancel campaign.”
One even “joked” about a Kirk death karaoke party.
Big yikes! pic.twitter.com/EbQEJj61ro
— MasteroftheTDS (@MasteroftheTDS) September 16, 2025
One user wrote: “What Sucker Punch did, firing one of their devs for speaking truth to power, really soured my anticipation for Ghost of Yotei.”
Another declared: “I’ve removed all Sony titles from my wishlist. Your management is supporting domestic te***rism and fascism.”
Progressives on BlueSky call for a boycott of Ghost of Yotei – X, @MasterOfTheTDS
Others mocked the studio for trying to appease Trump supporters, warning that alienating potential buyers over a joke was “a poor PR move.”
Still, others stated “Time to boycott Ghost of Yotei,” a sentiment that seems to be shared now within left and right wing gaming circles.
Some are even calling for a full boycott of Sony titles altogether until Harrison is reinstated.
Stuck in the Middle
The irony is hard to miss: Ghost of Yotei is now being boycotted by the very same people who demanded action and those who believe the action went too far. Both camps feel betrayed — conservatives for the initial comment and lack of response, and progressives for the firing.
Progressives on BlueSky call for a boycott of Ghost of Yotei – X, @MasterOfTheTDS
This puts Sony and Sucker Punch in a lose-lose position. No matter which way they turned, outrage was inevitable. Now, the game is being torn apart in the culture wars before it even hits shelves.
The Bigger Picture
This controversy isn’t happening in a vacuum. Before any calls for a boycott, Ghost of Yotei had already been a flashpoint in gaming circles due to its choice of a female protagonist and casting of progressive activist Erika Ishii. Critics claimed the studio was chasing political points, while defenders applauded the move.
With the Drew Harrison firing, the game’s identity has become less about gameplay or art direction and more about political fault lines.
As one BlueSky user put it bluntly: “They really ruined everything.”
Progressives on BlueSky call for a boycott of Ghost of Yotei – X, @MasterOfTheTDS
Ghost of Yotei was supposed to be Sony’s next prestige blockbuster. Instead, it’s become the rare title facing simultaneous boycotts from both left-wing activists and right-leaning critics. Whether this derails its sales or only fuels curiosity remains to be seen — but the boycott controversy guarantees that Ghost of Yotei won’t be remembered for its swordplay alone.
Do you think gamers will actually boycott Ghost of Yotei? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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I’m laughing inside. The Left’s boycotts never work because how many of them actually stick with it, much less have money to spend? But when the Right boycotts something, you get what happened to Tranheuser, Target, and Cracker Barrel. Ghosts of Yotei is pretty much DBA at this point.
Never interrupt your enemy when they’re making a mistake. If they boycott, that’s fine. I doubt they’ll have that much of a reach, but tbh there are more unhinged people than I first realised. Always found it off that they will act like you shot their parents if you make a single microaggression but are fine with celebrating assassinations. lol jk these freaks would have disowned their parents already, they wouldn’t care.
Hopefully so – this studio really should be shut down. It is full of whackadoodles.
“I’ve removed all Sony titles from my wishlist. Your management is supporting domestic te***rism and fascism.”
Wait, so firing someone is terrorism, but killing a human being over words you don’t like isn’t?
Leftist logic 🙄
Only when it’s firing someone on their side. They’re more than happy for us to be fired. Genuinely evil people who never should have been listened to in the first place. The fact that society has been restructured based on the immorality of these dysgenics is an injustice. I’m glad there’s some people on the left who have woken up. There were be less “moderate” leftists and they’ll be left with pure evil that can’t mask their behaviour with misguided people.
[…] Of Yotei Dev Fired For Charlie Kirk Joke After Right-Wing Pressure Campaign ∟Ghost of Yotei Now Facing Boycott From Right AND Left After Drew Harrison Charlie Kirk Controversy ∟The right hate them for being woke, the left hate them for bending the […]