Shuhei Yoshida, former head of Sony Interactive Entertainment's Worldwide Studios, recently shared two career-defining moments of fear, both courtesy of 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 loss of early adopters to the next generation of gaming was a significant concern.
However, Yoshida identified Nintendo's announcement of Monster Hunter 4 as a 3DS exclusive as the "biggest shock" of his career. This was particularly jarring given the franchise's immense success on the PlayStation Portable, where it boasted two exclusive titles. The surprise was compounded by Nintendo's simultaneous $100 price drop on the 3DS, undercutting the PlayStation Vita.
Yoshida recalled the market shift: "After launch, both Nintendo 3DS and Vita were $250 but they dropped $100," he said. "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 unprecedented insights into his time at the company. He's since shared his opinions on Sony's live service strategy and the lack of a Bloodborne remake or sequel.
