Xbox, Nintendo Scares Ex-PlayStation Boss Yoshida

Shuhei Yoshida, the former Worldwide Studios president for Sony Interactive Entertainment, disclosed that Nintendo and Xbox delivered the most intimidating moments during his PlayStation tenure.

Speaking with MinnMax, Yoshida recalled how Xbox 360's year-early launch before PlayStation 3 was "extremely alarming," as it threatened PlayStation's generational momentum during the console transition.

But Yoshida revealed Nintendo's announcement of Monster Hunter 4 as a 3DS exclusive hit hardest. "That was my biggest competitive shock," he admitted. Monster Hunter had been a PlayStation Portable phenomenon with two exclusives, making Nintendo's coup devastating for Vita's prospects.

The situation worsened when Nintendo slashed 3DS's price by $100, undercutting Vita's identical launch price. "Both launched at $250, then Nintendo dropped their price," Yoshida explained. "When they announced Monster Hunter as an exclusive right after... Our biggest PSP franchise lost. I thought: 'This is disastrous.'"

Having recently retired after 30+ years at Sony—where he became PlayStation's global ambassador—Yoshida now shares unfiltered industry perspectives. Beyond these revelations, he's discussed resisting Sony's live-service emphasis and explained why a Bloodborne remake remains unlikely.