Shuhei Yoshida, former head of Sony Interactive Entertainment's Worldwide Studios, recently shared two particularly daunting moments from his extensive PlayStation career, both orchestrated by competitors Nintendo and Xbox.
In an interview with MinnMax, Yoshida described the Xbox 360's one-year head start on the PlayStation 3 as "very, very scary." This early release put PlayStation at a significant disadvantage, as players considering waiting for Sony's console would miss out on a year of next-gen gaming.
However, Yoshida pinpointed Nintendo's announcement of Monster Hunter 4 as a 3DS exclusive as an even greater shock. This was particularly impactful given the immense success of the Monster Hunter franchise on the PlayStation Portable, where it boasted two exclusive titles. The move caught Yoshida completely off guard. To compound the issue, Nintendo simultaneously slashed the 3DS price by $100, undercutting the PlayStation Vita.
"After launch, both the Nintendo 3DS and Vita were priced at $250, but then they dropped the 3DS price by $100," Yoshida recounted. "I was stunned. And then they announced the biggest game... Monster Hunter, the biggest game on PSP, would be a Nintendo 3DS exclusive. That was a huge shock."
Yoshida's retirement in January, after over three decades with Sony, has allowed him to offer previously undisclosed insights into his time at the company. He's also shared opinions on Sony's live service strategy and explained his perspective on the lack of a Bloodborne remake or sequel.
