Sony has dismissed the artist behind Ghost of Yotei, reportedly due to a joke involving Charlie Kirk

Sucker Punch Productions has dismissed a senior artist involved with the Ghost of Yotei project, following a controversial comment on social media about Charlie Kirk's assassination.

According to Kotaku, Drew Harrison, who served as a senior staff artist specializing in character development and textures, was terminated shortly after making a joke on X about the death of the well-known conservative figure, Charlie Kirk, on September 10, 2025.

Harrison, who had been with the company for a decade, mentioned in now-deleted tweets that she was subjected to a harassment campaign after her comment went public. As a result, X users, including Mark "Grummz" Kern, urged a boycott of Ghost of Yotei and demanded that she be terminated.

On September 12, Harrison communicated on X that she had been let go.

"If standing against fascism led me to lose a job I loved for 10 years, I would still do it, even more emphatically," she announced on the platform.

Sony confirmed Harrison's departure in a statement to Kotaku, noting simply, “Drew Harrison is no longer with Sucker Punch Productions,” as detailed by a Sony Interactive Entertainment spokesperson.

On September 16, 2025, Sucker Punch Productions released a new Ghost of Yotei trailer on X, which prompted several calls for a boycott by users and many posted the phrase "RIP Charlie Kirk."

Other gaming companies, including Square Enix, Bethesda, Warhammer/Games Workshop, and Activision Blizzard, are also experiencing backlash linked to reactions over Charlie Kirk's demise.

Elon Musk, the owner of X, addressed Microsoft by tagging its CEO, Satya Nadella, in a post on September 12, 2025, with the caption, "What's going on here?" in response to accusations against Activision Blizzard employees.

On the same day, Microsoft responded with a statement on X:

"We understand concerns regarding some employee comments about recent incidents. We are taking these matters seriously and reviewing each case. Violent sentiments have no place here and are contrary to our values."

GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to Sony for additional comments on this situation.