PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida has announced he will be leaving Sony, effective from 15th January 2025. He has spent 31 years with the company, helping to bring multiple systems to market and put fan-favourite games on them, like Bloodborne. Once the president of SIE Worldwide Studios, Yoshida has more recently been focusing on indie teams and getting their games onto PS5, PS4.
Yoshida's departure was revealed in a post to the PlayStation Blog, where he said: "I’ve been with PlayStation from the beginning, and this is my 31st year with PlayStation. And when I hit 30 years, I was thinking, hmm, it may be about time for me to move on. You know, the company’s been doing great. I love PS5, I love the games that are coming out on this platform. And we have new generations of management who I respect and admire. And I’m so excited for the future of PlayStation. So you know, PlayStation is in really good hands. I thought, okay, this is my time."
While it first appeared Yoshida would be retiring, he has clarified he'll continue working and hopes to remain in the video game industry:
The post explores Yoshida's time at PlayStation, starting off with tales of Ken Kutanagi from 1993, as Sony launched the PS1. "When I joined Ken’s team, my assignment was to talk to publishers and developers in Japan," he explained. "So as a lead in account management, I made a phone call to many companies in Japan, publishers and developers from Hokkaido to Kyushu and made an appointment and brought a group of people of executives including Ken Kutaragi himself, to visit the publisher and talk about PlayStation, hoping that they would make games on PlayStation."
Fast forward to his more recent role as leading the indie initiative at PlayStation, and Yoshida speaks of his love of titles from independent developers. "When the indie boom started in 2000, all digital distribution started on PC, on mobile, and on console. Small digital games could be made by pretty much anyone in the world, and be able to sell and distribute globally. That created an amazing opportunity for the industry to try new ideas." Shuhei Yoshida will now leave PlayStation on 15th January 2025, having served 31 years with Sony.
[source blog.playstation.com]
Comments 33
Noooo!!!! He should have been PlayStation CEO.
What a huge blow to Sony. Shuhei is one of the greats and a true link to Sony's Japanese origins. I wish him nothing but the best in future endeavours. I hope Sony has someone suitable lined up to come in- but it's huge shoes to fill. Will be fascinating to see where he ends up next
Thanks for everything Shu! 🫡
The ‘How to share games on PS4’ ad lives rent free in my head🤣
@Rob_230 He has been working with Greg Rice (former Double Fine's publishing head) on PlayStation's indie initiative for years. We probably won't see many changes.
@The_Wailing_Doom He was the head of the division for a while. He already confirmed that he was supposed to leave Sony years ago because he was no longer interested in focusing on giant triple-A games. He only stayed because Sony created a whole new division to work with/promote indies.
Thank God, now get rid of the rest of the old guard. Sony needs a new set of eyes and new trajectory led by individuals passionate about gaming first. Not merely engaging in the predatory, eventually doomed to fail, endless growth model regardless of the consequences to the medium and artists creating in it.
The execs and shareholder overlords have done a great deal of damage to the gamer faced aspect of the brand this gen in favor of greed.
He is my favourite playstation person :/
@KundaliniRising333 Saying this in regards to Shu Yoshida, who is quite clearly one of the most passionate gamers at the company and has been there for 31 years to help bring the PS1, PS2, PS3, and PS4 to market, is wild.
I'm glad he's still staying in the industry, curious to see where he lands though.
Nooooo 😭
Shuhei is the most likeable SIE higher ups who also a gamer. I never get bored watching him talking in a interview or just casually playing games like what he did with Path of Exile 2 devs.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_SZdCClZLc&pp=ygUPU2h1aGVpIHlvc2hpZGEg
But with 60 years old, i understand his decision that he wants to relax and chill.
@KundaliniRising333 Are you being sarcastic or just clueless AF???
Shuhei is a lot more passionate for gaming compare to Hermen or Nishino.
Always seemed like the most passionate about games among the PS executives.
He will be missed, he is one of the PlayStation greats and of course an original whos helped Playstation become the best platform for many years. Hopefully Playstations indie initiative continues to grow without him.
@PuppetMaster Are you being sarcastic or just clueless AF???
I'd say neither and is just posting the usual Playstation hate messages he usually does.
Thanks to the OG that PlayStation is the behemoth that it’s now
If he's leaving Sony but still staying in the industry could it mean that he hasn't been satisfied with the way things are going at PlayStation in recent years?
So I wonder if Shift Up and Stellar Blade was the last game and partnership he was responsible for? Anyway he's a playstation legend and has a good eye for games.
@ATaco the dude been working at PlayStation for 30 plus years he probably want to try something new at this point of his career. I won’t be surprised if he start a small game studio.
@PuppetMaster @LiamCroft
I hear you
Nostalgia is fun. However look at Sony's current trajectory. Regardless of his historical and anecdotal goodness, he has been a part of this new version of PS, just as much as the rest of them. Perhaps that's why he's really leaving, and that's great, however I genuinely wish those leaving the company based on that pretense be honest about it.
However it doesn't take him out of the movers and shakers that created this mess. If you don't see where the platform is now, as a mess and far cry from playstations height, that's just delusion and a far bigger issue thinking-wise for those in which that shoe fits.
Godspeed, sir, and Thank You.
oo7
@KundaliniRising333 His role for the last 5 years has been to work with external indie developers to bring their games to Playstation. He has no input on what studios to buy, hardware pricing, what games get made or any say in their live service push.
Don’t wanna be a doomer but Jesus man what a loss, Shu is an icon and deserves his flowers, wish him the best of luck going forward, maybe it’ll be time to wish PS some luck too as they’re gonna need it without someone like Shu.
Another Japanese executive or employee leaving sigh...
Damn, this makes me sad. Shu was the final guy from the classic old guard at PlayStation. I knew this day would come eventually, but still. Damn....
@KundaliniRising333 Remember Ken Kutaragi ? he was the man! Jack tretton too .
@UltimateOtaku91 OK awesome.
Good for him. He deserves a break after 30 years. I won't be surprised if he does talks for indie devs or has a more Rami Ismail kind of consultant role.
@UltimateOtaku91 Now that you mention it, i check his comment history and oh boy looks like this guy has a big hate boners for PS.
@KundaliniRising333 "However it doesn't take him out of the movers and shakers that created this mess"
Yes it takes him out from the new management considering his work this past 5 years is only leading Playstation Indie Games Initiative that leads to China / India / MENA Hero Project and other indie games as well. He doesn't involved with any big decision like buying studios, prices, etc.
I reccomend you to do some research before posting brainless hate comment.
All the best to Shu! A true legend!
@PuppetMaster not hate, context.
I have been a dedicated playstation Platform player for 30 years. I simply call out what I've seen for the last 4 years with that context.
It doesn't mean I don't love gaming. It is no Measure of health to be profoundly well adjusted to a sick system. Criticism is not hate. I would argue it is wisdom. Making excuses in the name of corporate allegiance, I would argue is the opposite....
Thank you Yoshida for all you've done for PlayStation! Trying my best to be stay positive about this even though im not in a way😢. Still, best wishes to him and whatever he does next.
This is sad news, without him PlayStation wouldn’t be what it’s today, and I think it might be concerning the fact that he isn’t retiring or exiting the industry, but rather leaving Sony specifically, I wonder if he’s not ok with all their recent decisions.
Wishing the best for Shu, and post-PlayStation, I’ll definitely be looking forward to whatever he’s involved with next. One of the most likable suits in the industry, past or present.
Wish him well in whatever he does.
Coonie Booth and Shu in one year...
Whats funny is the idiots cheering this on and asking for new execs... Do you really think Sony will hire exacs that truly care about gaming now?
No way.
They are going to be looking for people that can help their company financially.
Herman Hulst will be gone soon I'm sure, after all he was the one who loved Concord and was referring it to their future Star Wars franchise LoL.
Sony will for sure find another guy who doesn't know how to hold a controller again, but can help their stock price go up.
In my opinion, Sony has really lost a lot of its charm n magic this generation sadly... and they were on top of the world last gen.
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