"Xbox, Nintendo Caused Shuhei Yoshida's Scariest Career Moments"

Shuhei Yoshida, the former president of Worldwide Studios for Sony Interactive Entertainment, has shared some startling revelations about his career at PlayStation. In a candid interview with MinnMax, Yoshida disclosed that the two most intimidating moments he faced were orchestrated by Nintendo and Xbox.

The first moment of dread came with the launch of the Xbox 360, which hit the market a year before the PlayStation 3. Yoshida described this as "very, very scary," noting that those who waited for Sony's console would find themselves significantly delayed in experiencing the next generation of gaming.

However, the most shocking moment for Yoshida was when Nintendo announced that Monster Hunter 4 would be a 3DS exclusive. He stated, "That was the biggest shock I had from an announcement from the competition." This was especially impactful because Monster Hunter had been a massive success on the PlayStation Portable, with two exclusive titles. Yoshida was caught off guard by Nintendo securing the new game for their console, and the situation worsened when Nintendo drastically reduced the 3DS price by $100, making it more affordable than the PlayStation Vita.

Reflecting on this, Yoshida remarked, "After launch, both Nintendo 3DS and Vita were $250 but they dropped $100. 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 retired in January after over three decades with Sony, where he became a prominent figure in the PlayStation brand and was adored by fans globally. His departure has allowed him to share these previously untold insights. Additionally, Yoshida has expressed his reservations about Sony's focus on live service games and provided his perspective on why a remake or sequel to the cult classic Bloodborne is unlikely.