Sucker Punch Productions studio head is stepping down

After 28 years, co-founder and studio head Brian Fleming is leaving Sucker Punch Productions in April of subsequent 12 months.

Introduced yesterday by studio proprietor Sony Interactive Leisure, Fleming, who labored on the Sly Cooper and InFamous franchises, in addition to each Ghost of Tsushima and Ghost of Yōtei, has been working intently with PlayStation Studios this previous 12 months to make sure a robust basis after his departure.

Beginning January 1, Fleming will likely be succeeded by two new studio heads: Jason Connell, the co-creative director on the Ghost franchise, and Adrian Bentley, technical director at Sucker Punch.

“Jason and Adrian have been instrumental in shaping the inventive and technical path of Sucker Punch in recent times,” reads Sony’s announcement.

“Brian’s imaginative and prescient and management have formed the studio’s tradition of creativity and collaboration and established a basis that Jason, Adrian, and the complete staff will construct on as they appear to the long run.”

By way of LinkedIn, Fleming stated that he’ll stick with the studio via April to “help with transition,” after which take a while off with household for journey. In response to him, he would not know what comes subsequent.

“I’m making an attempt to type out which alternatives I wish to discover subsequent… Some trade, some tech, some leisure and a few advocacy/politics stuff all a part of the area I’m considering laborious about,” Fleming wrote.

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Again in September, Sucker Punch fired senior texture artist Drew Harrison over social media posts that joked concerning the September 10 killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. Harrison defended their conduct in various now-deleted posts the place she acknowledged: “If standing up in opposition to fascism is what value me my dream job I held for 10 years, I’d do it once more 100x stronger.”

The subject was introduced up throughout one in all Fleming’s final interviews as studio head. When requested concerning the firing, he instructed Recreation File that “the info are correct.” Fleming then acknowledged the assertion from the Sony spokesperson, saying that Harrison was now not an worker at Sucker Punch.

“I believe we’re aligned as a studio that celebrating or making mild of somebody’s homicide is a deal-breaker for us, and we condemn that, form of in no unsure phrases,” he continued. “That is form of our studio, and that is form of the place we’re.” A Sony consultant intervened earlier than he might supply any additional remark.

Elsewhere, in keeping with Sony’s fiscal report for the second quarter ended September 30, 2025, Ghost of Yōtei accrued 3.3 million gross sales as of November 2nd, which means that the sport achieved that determine in its first month, following its launch on October 2nd.

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