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 particularly daunting moments from his extensive PlayStation career, both orchestrated by competitors Nintendo and Xbox.

Speaking with MinnMax, Yoshida described the Xbox 360's release a year ahead of the PlayStation 3 as "very, very scary." This early launch put PlayStation at a significant disadvantage, leaving those considering waiting for Sony's console potentially far behind in experiencing next-gen gaming.

However, Yoshida revealed an even more impactful shock: Nintendo's announcement that Monster Hunter 4 would be a 3DS exclusive. "That was the biggest shock," he stated.

The impact was substantial. Monster Hunter had been a phenomenal success on the PlayStation Portable, boasting two exclusive titles. Yoshida was completely unaware of Nintendo's acquisition of this new installment. 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."

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. These revelations include his perspective on Sony's live service strategy and his thoughts on the lack of a Bloodborne remake or sequel.