If you’ve tuned into the PlayStation Podcast over the past decade and a half, Shuhei Yoshida is likely not a new name to you. Widely recognized for his enduring role as the President of PlayStation Studios during the pivotal eras of the PS3 and PS4, in recent years, Yoshida-san has passionately supported indie game developers as the Head of Indies Initiative at PlayStation.
With PlayStation’s 30th anniversary just around the corner, I had the chance to sit down with Yoshida-san to chat about his illustrious career, his future aspirations, and his favorite games from the past three decades of PlayStation. Below are highlights from our extensive conversation.
Note: This interview has been condensed for clarity and brevity. To enjoy the full discussion, you can listen here (Apple, Spotify, or direct download).
SID: You’ve been a guest on the PlayStation Podcast way back, something like 14 years ago. It’s been a minute… What have you been up to?
SHU: I’ve been on quite a journey! Globetrotting around places like Brazil, India, Australia, and Sweden. I’ve been visiting developers, attending game events, checking out the latest developer creations, and sharing my thoughts on games throughout the year.
SID: We’re thrilled to have you back, and there’s so much to catch up on. But I heard there’s some news you’d like to share with us today.
SHU: Yes, indeed, I do have an announcement. I’m planning to leave Sony Interactive Entertainment on January 15, 2025. It feels a bit like announcing a new game’s launch date, which I haven’t done for a long time [laughs].
SID: You’ve been with Sony Interactive for such a long time. What inspired your decision and timing for this move?
SHU: I’ve been with PlayStation from the get-go, marking 31 years this year. After reaching the 30-year milestone, I felt it might be time for me to explore new horizons. PlayStation is thriving; the PS5 and the new games on it are incredible. We have a new generation of leaders, whom I deeply respect and admire, steering the ship. I’m genuinely excited about PlayStation’s future.
So, with PlayStation in great hands, I thought, this is my moment to step back.
SID: Understandable. Let’s reminisce about your career. You’ve been around for quite some time, but when exactly did you start with PlayStation?
SHU: I joined Ken Kutaragi’s team back in February 1993 when they were still working on developing the original PlayStation. Ken’s team was mostly engineers. In fact, I was the first non-technical person to join because Sony Corporation at the time was beginning to chart out how to bring PlayStation to market. That was 31 years ago.
SID: Ken Kutaragi is famously known as the father of PlayStation. What was it like working for the company back then, before the original PlayStation even launched?
SHU: When I came aboard, PlayStation was still just a department. There was already a team under Sony Music Entertainment Japan developing games for the Super Nintendo, while another part was gearing up to create games for the PlayStation. These teams merged—Ken’s group under Sony and Sato-san’s team from Sony Music—forming Sony Computer Entertainment in November 1993.
I remember celebrating the joint venture with a party where everyone fit into one room at the hotel. We were about 80 people in total, just a small team back then [laughs].
SID: Small, yet it must have been thrilling!
SHU: Oh, without a doubt! The team was pioneering some incredible innovations, like 3D graphics and real-time tech, and utilizing CD-ROMs for lots of data at a low cost. We held such high hopes and ambitious goals.
However, at that time, we weren’t really known in the video game scene, and many big electronics firms had tried and struggled to enter the market. Honestly, before PlayStation launched, we weren’t taken too seriously by the industry.
SID: It’s funny looking back now, 31 years later, seeing how things have changed… What was your first role with PlayStation like?
SHU: When I joined Ken’s team, my task was to engage with publishers and developers across Japan. As the lead in account management, I reached out to companies from Hokkaido to Kyushu, setting up meetings and bringing a group of executives, including Ken Kutaragi, to share what PlayStation was about in hopes they’d develop games for it.
Those times were fun but challenging, as many in the industry were skeptical about 3D graphics at that point.
For more insights into Shuhei Yoshida’s early days with PlayStation, listen to the full discussion on the PlayStation Podcast.
SID: Over time, you ascended to the rank of president of PlayStation Studios. Is there a particular memory that stands out for you during your tenure there?
SHU: Throughout my journey in game development, I was fortunate to work with amazing teams on fantastic games. Attending events like the DICE Summit annually was a delight, with our games frequently nominated for Game of the Year. It’s a rare blessing to have even one game earn such a nomination, but we managed to do so consistently.
However, a memory that I truly cherish was when the game Journey received the Game of the Year Award. This was a digital-only title, available via PlayStation Network, and a shorter game that could be finished in about three hours.
Yet, Journey triumphed over big AAA games, marking a first in the industry. At the summit, the creator Jenova Chen shared a moving story about receiving a letter from a girl who had lost her father. She expressed how playing the game allowed her to reflect on her father and find a path forward.
The entire audience stood and applauded, creating a moment filled with joy and amazement at how a simple game could touch lives profoundly.
SID: How did you transition into your current role as Head of Indies Initiative at Sony Interactive?
SHU: Indie games have always been a passion of mine. With the indie game boom in the 2000s and the advent of digital distribution on PCs, mobile devices, and consoles, small games became accessible to creators worldwide. This shift created fantastic opportunities for fresh ideas in the industry.
Small games, with minimal financial risk, allowed for innovative concepts, blazing a new trail for the entire industry. It felt like a treasure hunt to me. While managing PlayStation Studios was rewarding, working with AAA titles, I always found myself gravitating towards indie games at events like E3 or Gamescom.
I’d often take photos with developers I met, promoting the games I enjoyed. When I was offered this role where I can dedicate all my time to supporting indie developers, it truly felt like a dream come true.
Shuhei Yoshida even appears as a playable character in Capybara Games’ Super Time Force Ultra—a testament to his love for the gaming community.
