Shuhei Yoshida, former president of Sony Interactive Entertainment's Worldwide Studios, recently shared two career-defining moments of fear, both orchestrated by competitors Nintendo and Xbox.
Speaking with MinnMax, Yoshida described the Xbox 360's one-year head start on the PlayStation 3 as "very, very scary." The potential for players to embrace the next generation of gaming on a rival console before the PS3's launch presented a significant challenge.
However, Yoshida pinpointed Nintendo's announcement of Monster Hunter 4 as a 3DS exclusive as the "biggest shock" of his career. This was particularly jarring given the immense success of the Monster Hunter franchise on the PlayStation Portable, where it boasted two exclusive titles. The revelation caught Yoshida completely off guard. To compound the situation, Nintendo simultaneously slashed the 3DS price by $100, undercutting the PlayStation Vita.
"After launch, both Nintendo 3DS and Vita were $250 but they dropped $100," Yoshida recalled. "I was like, 'Oh my god'. And [then they] announced the biggest game... The biggest game on PSP was Monster Hunter. And that game is going to come out on Nintendo 3DS exclusively. I was like, 'Oh no.' That was the biggest shock."
Yoshida's retirement in January, after over three decades with Sony, has allowed him to offer these previously undisclosed insights into his time at the helm of PlayStation. He's since shared further reflections, including his reservations about Sony's live service strategy and his perspective on the lack of a Bloodborne remake or sequel.
