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 launch a year ahead of the PlayStation 3 as "very, very scary." This early release put PlayStation at a significant disadvantage, as those considering a next-gen console would be considerably behind in experiencing the latest games.

However, Yoshida pinpointed the Nintendo 3DS exclusive announcement of Monster Hunter 4 as the most shocking competitive move. This came as a complete surprise, given the immense success of the Monster Hunter franchise on the PlayStation Portable, which even boasted two exclusive titles. The situation worsened with Nintendo's concurrent $100 price drop on the 3DS, undercutting the PlayStation Vita.

“[The 3DS and Vita] were both $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 share these previously untold anecdotes. His tenure saw him become a prominent figurehead for PlayStation, earning widespread fan appreciation. Since leaving, Yoshida has also offered insights into his reservations regarding Sony's live service strategy and explained his perspective on the lack of a Bloodborne remake or sequel.