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.

In an interview with MinnMax, Yoshida described the Xbox 360's launch a year ahead of the PlayStation 3 as "very, very scary." The potential loss of early adopters who might opt for the immediate next-gen experience on Xbox posed a significant threat.

However, Yoshida cited Nintendo's announcement of Monster Hunter 4 as a 3DS exclusive as an even greater shock. This came as a complete surprise, given the immense success of the Monster Hunter franchise on the PlayStation Portable, which boasted two exclusive titles. The situation was further complicated by Nintendo's simultaneous $100 price drop on the 3DS, undercutting the PlayStation Vita.

"After launch, both the Nintendo 3DS and Vita were priced at $250, but then they dropped the 3DS price by $100," Yoshida recounted. "I was stunned. And then they announced the biggest game... Monster Hunter, the biggest game on PSP, was going to be a Nintendo 3DS exclusive. That was a huge blow."

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. He's also shared his perspective on Sony's live service strategy and the lack of a Bloodborne remake or sequel.