Ghost of Yotei studio Sucker Punch reportedly lays off 24 developers

Sucker Punch Productions has reportedly laid off 24 employees as the Sony-owned studio reassesses staffing for its next project following Ghost of Yōtei. The cuts come only weeks after the release of Ghost of Yōtei: Complete Edition and its new Echoes of Sekigahara expansion.

Aftermath originally reported that 26 employees had been affected, but later corrected the figure to 24 after receiving updated information. The publication reviewed an internal message from Sucker Punch leadership, while Sony Interactive Entertainment has not publicly commented on the layoffs.

According to the internal message obtained by Aftermath, Sucker Punch made the reductions after considering “challenges in the market” and reviewing how many employees it needs for its next project.

Studio leadership told employees that several positions would be eliminated and acknowledged the impact on those affected. The message also indicated that Sucker Punch plans to share more information about its future with remaining employees during the following week.

The studio has not revealed what its next project will be. There is currently no confirmation that it is another Ghost game, a return to one of Sucker Punch’s older properties or an entirely new project.

The timing stands out because Ghost of Yōtei has performed strongly since launching for PlayStation 5 in October 2025. The game became one of Sony’s strongest-selling first-party releases during 2026 and was followed by additional content throughout its second year.

Sucker Punch released Ghost of Yōtei: Complete Edition on October 1, bundling the original game with new content including the Echoes of Sekigahara narrative expansion. A separate survival mode called Most Wanted also expanded the game with repeatable combat challenges.

The layoffs therefore appear tied more closely to the studio’s staffing needs for its next production than to the immediate commercial performance of Ghost of Yōtei. Neither Sucker Punch nor Sony has provided a more detailed explanation of which departments or roles were affected.

Sucker Punch has been part of PlayStation Studios since Sony acquired the developer in 2011. The Bellevue-based studio previously created the Sly Cooper and Infamous series before moving on to Ghost of Tsushima and Ghost of Yōtei.

The studio employs fewer than 200 people, according to Aftermath, making the loss of 24 positions a noticeable reduction to its workforce. There is no indication that Sucker Punch itself is closing or that development on its next project has stopped.

More information about the studio’s future is expected internally after the layoffs, but Sucker Punch has not announced when it will publicly reveal its next game. For now, the confirmed change is a smaller team moving beyond Ghost of Yōtei as the studio begins preparing its next production.