The news coming out of PlayStation studios has been nothing short of gigantic. At the end of 2025, Brian Fleming, one of the co-founders of Sucker Punch Productions, is departing the studio. Exactly, this is what you just read. The founder of the studio that made Sly Cooper, Infamous, and Ghost of Tsushima is going to another place. It is a significant change for a studio that has been a silent but powerful supporter for Sony for over two decades.
The announcement was tweeted by Geoff Keighley, and the reaction from the gaming community was immediate. Nostalgia was one of the most common reactions with people looking back at their gaming past and thanking Fleming for the enjoyable time. Others, however, started speculating immediately and very vigorously. Let’s analyze the reactions because they are very interesting.
First of all, a lot of gamer folks have been expressing their love and appreciation. User ‘Jaxtyrr’ just replied with a short “Thanks for the memories!” followed by a blue heart which is the feeling for many gamers. Brian Fleming is connected to a number of iconic games. The sly, sneaky platforming of Sly, the electric chaos of Infamous and the serenity of violent Ghost of Tsushima. Dude was a major factor in shaping and influencing quite a bit of both childhood and adult favorites of many gamers. ‘Richard Browne’ labeled him a “Legend” and wished him to have a great retirement, saying “he has earned it.” This probably is the most honest, friendly reaction to the whole situation.
On the other hand, the internet reacted as it always does. Speculation and hot takes travelled faster than Cole MacGrath sliding along a power line. Many replies quickly made a connection between Fleming’s exit and Sucker Punch’s most recent game that has been referred to as “Ghost of Yotei” (the actual title has not been confirmed, though). One user, ‘Franᶻ 𝗓 𐰁’, dryly posted: “The effects of Ghost of Yotei being ass 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭”. Another one, ‘Zilk Music’, asked, “Wow Yotei flopped that bad?”.
Hang on a second, what was I saying? Oh yes, the connection. It is a classic gamer trick: witness a change in leadership, conclude that the latest project must have been a mess. There is zero official information on the “Yotei” sales or whether it is even out yet, but this has not prevented the theory from spreading. It serves as a reminder of how intense the pressure and scrutiny are in this industry now.
Next, there was the total “what’s next for Sucker Punch?” plotline. A user by the name ‘antonxo🛸’ thought this could mean that the studio is going to be “in a one-game studio to multiple projects like other big Sony studios” scenario. Replies quickly turned into a mini-debate about which Sony studios actually work on multiple games at the same time. People were mentioning Naughty Dog, Santa Monica, and Insomniac… it got technical really fast. The main point is that gamers want to know if this change indicates a new era of Sucker Punch being busy or it is just a gradual transition.
And, of course, one can never have a video game discussion without platform wars and port-begging popping up. ‘meyerpark’ stated: “Hoping for Sucker Punch to start porting games to @Xbox.” that’s a constant wish for Xbox users who have seen these PlayStation exclusives from afar. On the other hand, ‘Hotep Annihilator’ had a more specific wish: “Maybe they’ll finally release Infamous on PC😭😭”. With Sony’s recent push, that one might not be as unrealistic as it used to be.
But this is the point where it becomes complex. A portion of the replies immediately shifted to cultural war topics. Comments like “Good! Hopefully, the next person knocks it off with the woke garbage!” and “Once you go woke…” cropped up. It’s a clichéd storyline that gets attached to every studio in today’s times, often without any specific mentioning. Another online user even made a crude, hypothetical joke about the successor being a “blue-haired bulldike.” It’s… a lot. And it shows how these announcements get tangled up with larger, usually toxic, online battles that have very little to do with the games or the individual leaving.
In the midst of all the noise, one of the most focused responses came from ‘Luigi’ suggesting, “He’s probably not leaving due to creative issues but rather just age. And it’s okay to see him go. Because he did an amazing job… Thanks Mr. Fleming for giving us joy.” That’s probably the most balanced perspective. Brian Fleming was one of the co-founders to set up the studio.
