Ghost of Yōtei Studio Hit by Layoffs Following Complete Edition Launch
Layoffs have become a kind of boogeyman over the gaming industry, constantly talked about, but always appearing out of nowhere when they do arrive. While the heads of these companies might have careful plans, the sudden…
Layoffs have become a kind of boogeyman over the gaming industry, constantly talked about, but always appearing out of nowhere when they do arrive. While the heads of these companies might have careful plans, the sudden loss of a job can hit even the most hopeful dev at the worst time.
Sometimes, the timing feels almost cruel, as with Sucker Punch's recent hit reported to Aftermath. Per a recently released member of Sucker Punch, the studio is cutting 26 positions right after the release of Ghost of Yōtei's Complete Edition re-release. What should feel like a victory lap for the team has suddenly turned grim, with employees inside the studio and those looking in equally confused by the decision.
Suffering From Success
In the current industry, it almost feels like quality doesn't matter, at least internally to the big shots making company-wide decisions. After Ghost of Yōtei's phenomenal release earlier this year, making it the best-selling Sony title of 2026, the Complete Edition seemed to be the standard re-release fare, with all the DLC included and a few adjustments made.
Despite what should have been a lower-budget, big-win bonus project just dropping, Sucker Punch leadership cut the positions after "carefully observing the challenges in the market and reviewing the team needs for our next project." The current upcoming project from Sucker Punch is unknown, but the team is rattled, with nothing but a promise of more info coming in the following weeks.
What should feel like a victory lap for the team has suddenly turned grim, with employees inside the studio and those looking in equally confused by the decision.
Sucker Punch itself is small when compared to other AAA studios, coming up at only about 200 active employees before the recent firings. Losing 1/8 of the entire team is a major hit, and makes little sense when apparently approaching plans for an all-new title. This makes Sucker Punch another mark on the road of successful teams deemed too expensive to maintain, a frustrating sentiment in current gaming.
Whether studios are willing to take similar hits for late-stage victories, the constant eagerness to cut the ground out from under devs feels incredibly shortsighted, putting both new blood and established experts on their butts in a very tumultuous time of the year. I imagine many at Sucker Punch had hoped earning so well for one of the biggest names in gaming would earn them a little security, but if XBOX's constant cutting of their own staff is any indication, there really is no safety in success.
Keeping Heads High
I'm not sure if devs have ever really had it harder across the board in the industry, but the current waves of layoffs and studio closures feel never-ending. Despite how easy it would be to stick our heads in the sand and give up, every day is giving us little victories to focus on. The #SaveMassEffect initiative, for one, has become massive, gathering over 200,000 signatures over the course of just one week.
Alongside the roaring support in BioWare's corner, smaller teams like Uchikoshi's newly founded CRASH KEYS are getting the exact support from the gaming public they need to get their foot in the door, a real feel-good story when needed most. The voices of players really do matter, and putting those voices into action can do genuine wonders for both player satisfaction and the health of the industry.
With how big gaming has become, we should be seeing more studios, constant titles, and those can be found if you're willing to step back from the blinding spotlights of AAA. Like any creative industry, you can find artists making exactly what you'd love to see constantly, and nothing is more satisfying than watching a small team or individual improve their title over time.
As long as they're given support both internally and from fans, the talented individuals released from Sucker Punch can absolutely hit the ground running, with plenty of studios and teams eager to snatch up their skills.
Ghost of Yotei Complete Edition Action Adventure Open-World Hack and Slash Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 87/100 Critics Rec: 94% Released October 1, 2026 ESRB Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity, Use of Alcohol, Users Interact Developer(s) Sucker Punch Publisher(s) Sony Interactive Entertainment