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.
In an interview 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" from a competitor. The Monster Hunter franchise had been a massive success on the PlayStation Portable, boasting two exclusive titles. Yoshida was completely unaware of Nintendo's acquisition of the new game. To further complicate matters, 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 recalled. "I was shocked. And then the announcement of the biggest game... Monster Hunter, the biggest game on PSP, was going to be a Nintendo 3DS exclusive. That was a huge blow."
Yoshida's retirement in January, after over three decades with Sony, has allowed him to offer candid insights into his time at the company. He's also shared his reservations about Sony's live service strategy and his thoughts on the lack of a Bloodborne remake or sequel.
