PlayStation's Shuhei Yoshida Leaves Sony After 31 Years. However, He Plans to Stay in Industry Due to His Passion for Indie Games

As a gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I can’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia hearing about Shuhei Yoshida‘s decision to leave Sony after 31 years. This man was there from the very beginning, when he joined Ken Kutaragi’s team to create the first PlayStation, and his contributions to the gaming industry are simply immeasurable.

Shuhei Yoshida, who has been with Sony for over three decades, is moving on from the company. Most recently, he served as the leader of the PlayStation Indies Initiative. However, in earlier times, during the PS3 and PS4 periods, he held the role of CEO at Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios.

Reason for leaving

Back in early 2024, as a dedicated gamer and long-time industry insider, I shared some major news: my decision to part ways with the company I’ve been proudly serving since January 15, 2025. Recently, on our PlayStation podcast, I had an enlightening discussion about my career journey and future aspirations. During this chat, I also disclosed the compelling reasons behind my choice to move on to new adventures.

As a devoted PlayStation fan since its inception, here I stand at the threshold of my 31st year with this gaming titan. A few years back, as I approached my three-decade milestone, thoughts of change began to creep in. The company’s unstoppable success, the allure of PS5, and the exciting lineup of games it hosts, have kept me enthralled.

So you know, PlayStation is in really good hands. I thought, okay, this is my time.

Beginnings at Sony

Since February 1993, Yoshida has been connected to Sony, starting when he joined Ken Kutaragi’s team to create the first PlayStation. At that time, he was the initial non-technical member on the team. His responsibilities involved persuading publishers and developers about the upcoming console. He remembers this period as challenging yet exciting.

Upon joining Ken’s team, my task was to liaise with publishers and developers in Japan. As a key account manager, I made numerous phone calls to companies across Japan, from Hokkaido to Kyushu, setting up meetings and assembling a team of executives, including Ken Kutaragi himself, for visits to publishers. The aim was to discuss PlayStation with them, in the hope that they would develop games for the platform.

Love for indie games

On his X profile, Yoshida openly shared that he has no plans to retire and remains passionate about contributing to indie game development (through Automaton-West). In his own words, he is deeply fond of these types of games and considers it crucial to support them, as they frequently foster groundbreaking ideas.

Embracing independent creators plays a crucial role in our line of work. While AAA titles have been spearheading the market due to their expansive production, they often make it challenging to experiment with fresh ideas. It is the indie community, however, that consistently pushes boundaries and fosters creativity by introducing new gaming genres and promoting innovation. Given this, it’s imperative for industry giants like PlayStation to back indie games, as their contributions are integral to our collective growth in the video game industry.

It’s interesting to note that Yoshida picked a specific instance from his entire professional journey that left a lasting impression on him: the time when Journey won the Game of the Year award. Despite the fact that his projects were often nominated nearly every year, this particular victory held a special significance for him.

2024-11-27 14:32

PlayStation’s Shuhei Yoshida Leaves Sony After 31 Years. However, He Plans to Stay in Industry Due to His Passion for Indie Games

Reason for leaving

Beginnings at Sony

Love for indie games

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