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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

MinnMax's Ben Hanson finally speaks with game industry legend Shuhei Yoshida about his 31-year career at PlayStation, where he worked his way up to president of Sony Interactive Worldwide Studios from 2008-2019 before becoming the head of PlayStation indies. He left Sony at the end of 2024 and he's finally able to discuss his thoughts on Nintendo, interacting with Shigeru Miyamoto, and playing a game on the fabled Nintendo PlayStation back in 1993.

00:00:00 - Intro
00:02:33 - Welcome Shuhei Yoshida
00:03:42 - Shu's thoughts on Game Informer
00:04:41 - Will Shu write a book about his career?
00:06:50 - Interactions with Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto
00:12:57 - Wanting to consult and help indie games
00:16:02 - The rarity of transparent game executives
00:18:32 - Astro Bot winning Game of the Year
00:20:47 - Thoughts on the Nintendo Switch 2
00:23:01 - Shu's origins at Sony in 1986
00:25:06 - Playing the Nintendo PlayStation
00:27:10 - Ken Kutaragi and Polygon Man
00:31:11 - Sony adapting to the Nintendo 64's analog stick
00:33:12 - The PlayStation 3's challenges
00:35:39 - The rise of Mark Cerny
00:38:50 - Calling the PlayStation 4 "Orbis"
00:39:42 - Scrapped designs for the DualShock 4
00:46:09 - The scariest moment from PlayStation's competition
00:49:04 - How to run PlayStation's worldwide studios
00:54:06 - How stressful was the job?
00:57:33 - The lack of leadership accountability when games fail
01:01:17 - Lessons from Nintendo's Satoru Iwata
01:02:22 - Media Molecule and Dreams
01:04:10 - When Sucker Punch pitched "Uncharted"
01:05:59 - Choosing which games to greenlight
01:11:24 - Ted Price, Insomniac, and Spyro's early days
01:14:45 - How expensive was Beyond: Two Souls
01:17:28 - Metal Gear Solid 4's PlayStation 1 throwback
01:18:45 - Favorite Hideo Kojima memory
01:20:58 - Agent, Bioshock on Vita, and vaporware announcements
01:23:24 - Canceling Wild from Michel Ancel
01:24:38 - The rocky launch of No Man's Sky
01:27:12 - The future of AAA game development
01:30:46 - Team Ico's Fumito Ueda and Project Robot
01:33:53 - Why the messaging of 8MB for the PS2 memory card
01:35:01 - The biggest game launch of his career
01:36:55 - Is hardship necessary to create a great PlayStation game
01:39:17 - Butting heads within game studios
01:40:46 - Missing the PlayStation 1 era of development
01:43:01 - Ever want to be the creative director on a game?
01:43:52 - Final thoughts

 

[Killjoy-NL]

Most likeable gaming exec ever.

 

[nial]

Missing the PlayStation 1 era of development

Not sure if he addresses this, but he didn't?
He was the one that led an internal development group within an early Production Department studio at SCEI from October 1997 to April 2000.
He oversaw the rest of the development of Ape Escape and The Legend of Dragoon (which were still at early phases), and then also completely creating new games like Fantavision, TVDJ and Ico (which was finished a while after the restructuring).

 

[Mr Moose]

Not sure if he addresses this, but he didn't?
He was the one that led an internal development group within an early Production Department studio at SCEI from October 1997 to August 2000.
He oversaw the rest of the development of Ape Escape and The Legend of Dragoon (which were still at early phases), and then also completely creating new games like Fantavision, TVDJ and Ico (which was finished a while after the restructuring).

Missing the good old days.

 

[Fake]

Yoshida could easily be Playstation CEO.

 

[nial]

Missing the good old days.

Oh, that makes much more sense, definitely.
Looking at what was his position before 2000, I can see it.

 

[E-Cat]

Most likeable gaming exec ever.

Aside from Iwata.

 

[bitbydeath]

Aside from Iwata.

And Kaz.

 

[ANIMAL1975]

And Kaz.

Kaz was the man!
And at the same time managed to be the CEO that puts Sony (not only playstation) back on the tracks. I bet my left nut that if he stayed in charge, never in hell he would let Japan studios die, or put Murica leading playstation and drive the train to this cancellations shitshow.
Kaz was the man!

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Sony need to nuke their Californian studios (and all the other woke infested studios destroying the American games industry) and regroup in Japan.

Use Team Asobi as the rebuilding base.

Put Shuhei in charge.

 

[Kacho]

Aside from Iwata.

Nothing will ever top Iwata. Reggie is up there too.

 

[SHA]

And Kaz.

Kaz is awesome and a great troll, he's unique.

 

[Lokaum D+]

Good old times

 

[Kagoshima_Luke]

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

but i hear those things don't matter

 

[LavitzSlambert]

Don't have time now, but this will be an awesome watch over the weekend. Love me some Shu content.

 

[farmerboy]

Loved Shu, like genuinely thought he was the best thing at Sony. Thought that the indie stuff was gonna be a great fit, but I think he just ended up being under utilised in that role.

Wish him nothing but the best for the future.

 

[nial]

never in hell he would let Japan studios die, or put Murica leading playstation

This could very well be the most delusional post I have ever read on GAF, because Kaz Hirai was exactly the man that let BOTH OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN.
Japan Studio notoriously started to rot under his tenure as CEO of SCE, and I have zero doubts that he was the one that pushed the establishment of Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC in San Mateo, given that he was the fucking CEO of Sony Group Corporation at the time.

 

[nial]

Sony need to nuke their Californian studios (and all the other woke infested studios destroying the American games industry) and regroup in Japan.

Use Team Asobi as the rebuilding base.

Put Shuhei in charge.

No, they literally don't need to. In fact, that is the absolute worst idea you could ever conceive for Sony.

 

[Killjoy-NL]

Use Team Asobi as the rebuilding base.

Why would they centre their company around a remnant of a studio that got shutdown due to continuous underwhelming performances?

Even Astro Bot performed decently at best.

 

[cartman414]

Very charming man. Too much interview for one sitting. Gonna come back for more.

 

[Hudo]

He should've been in charge of SIE, not Hulst or this other dude.

 

[ANIMAL1975]

This could very well be the most delusional post I have ever read on GAF, because Kaz Hirai was exactly the man that let BOTH OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN.
Japan Studio notoriously started to rot under his tenure as CEO of SCE, and I have zero doubts that he was the one that pushed the establishment of Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC in San Mateo, given that he was the fucking CEO of Sony Group Corporation at the time.

You don't read many GAF posts do you

 

[nial]

You don't read many GAF posts do you

I do, but yours takes the crown.

 

[Saber]

Nothing will ever top Iwata. Reggie is up there too.

Reggie was an excellent enterteiner and presenter.

 

[Kacho]

Reggie was an excellent enterteiner and presenter.

Love him to bits.

 

[ANIMAL1975]

I do, but yours takes the crown.

Sure mate