Xbox and Nintendo Spurred the Two Scariest Moments of Former PlayStation Exec Shuhei Yoshida's Career

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," fearing players would be drawn to the next-gen experience and leave the PlayStation 3 behind.

However, Yoshida cites Nintendo's announcement of Monster Hunter 4 as a 3DS exclusive as the "biggest shock." This was particularly jarring given the immense success of the Monster Hunter franchise on the PlayStation Portable, which boasted two exclusive titles. Yoshida was completely unaware of Nintendo's acquisition of the new game. 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."

This anecdote comes after Yoshida's retirement in January, following a 30+ year career at Sony where he became a beloved figurehead for PlayStation. His departure has allowed for the sharing of previously undisclosed insights, including his perspectives on Sony's live service strategy and the lack of a Bloodborne remake or sequel.