Shuhei Yoshida, former president of Sony Interactive Entertainment's Worldwide Studios, disclosed during a MinnMax interview that Nintendo and Xbox created the two most alarming moments of his PlayStation tenure.
Yoshida recalled Microsoft's Xbox 360 launching a year ahead of PlayStation 3 as "extremely concerning," fearing consumers would embrace next-gen gaming before Sony's console arrived.
However, he identified Nintendo's exclusive deal for Monster Hunter 4 on 3DS as his career's most shocking competitor announcement. "That completely caught us off guard," Yoshida admitted.
The Monster Hunter franchise had achieved massive success on PlayStation Portable with two exclusive titles, making Nintendo's coup particularly devastating. Compounding the impact, Nintendo simultaneously reduced the 3DS price by $100 - significantly undercutting PlayStation Vita's market position.
"Both consoles launched at $250, then Nintendo cut their price," Yoshida explained. "Then they revealed MH4 as exclusive... That was PlayStation Portable's biggest franchise moving to our competitor. Just devastating."
After retiring in January following 30+ years with Sony - during which he became PlayStation's most recognizable executive - Yoshida now shares unprecedented industry insights. Beyond these revelations, he's also discussed resisting Sony's live-service initiatives and explained why Bloodborne remakes aren't prioritized.
