PlayStation's Shuhei Yoshida, known in some circles as "yosp," announced today that he is retiring from PlayStation. Yoshida's retirement was announced as part of a special PlayStation Podcast interview with Sony Interactive Entertainment Content Communications senior director Sid Shuman.
Yoshida joined up with the PlayStation team back in 1993, working directly with Ken Kutanagi as they developed the original PlayStation console. Over the course of these past 31 years, Yoshida would lead the third-party licensing program at Sony Computer Entertainment. He would serve as executive producer on titles such as Gran Turismo and The Legend of Dragoon.
In mid-2020, Yoshida became the vice president of Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA). In early 2007, he became the senior vice president of SCE Worldwide Studios USA. The following year he would be the president of SCE Worldwide Studios (now Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) Worldwide Studios). It wasn't until November 2019 when Yoshida would step down as president of SIE Worldwide Studios to take a more supportive role within the company as head of independent developer initiative at SIE. At the same time, Herman Hulst took over Yoshida's spot as president of SIE.
SID: Happy to have you, we’re going to do a lot of catching up. But I heard you had some news for us here today?
SHU: Yes, I have an announcement to make. I’m leaving Sony Interactive Entertainment on January 15 2025… it’s like announcing the launch date of a new game, [something] I haven’t done for a long time [laughs].
SID: You’ve been with Sony Interactive for so long. What’s guiding the decision and the timing?
SHU: I’ve been with PlayStation from the beginning, and this is my 31st year with PlayStation. And when I hit 30 years, I was thinking, hmm, it may be about time for me to move on. You know, the company’s been doing great. I love PS5, I love the games that are coming out on this platform. And we have new generations of management who I respect and admire. And I’m so excited for the future of PlayStation.
SHU: Yes, I have an announcement to make. I’m leaving Sony Interactive Entertainment on January 15 2025… it’s like announcing the launch date of a new game, [something] I haven’t done for a long time [laughs].
SID: You’ve been with Sony Interactive for so long. What’s guiding the decision and the timing?
SHU: I’ve been with PlayStation from the beginning, and this is my 31st year with PlayStation. And when I hit 30 years, I was thinking, hmm, it may be about time for me to move on. You know, the company’s been doing great. I love PS5, I love the games that are coming out on this platform. And we have new generations of management who I respect and admire. And I’m so excited for the future of PlayStation.
Undoubtedly, Yoshida has had one hell of a run over these past 31 years, having been a part of five major console releases, two major handheld devices (three if we include PlayStation Portal), and countless Sony game franchises. Yoshida did not share exactly what, if anything, he will do after retiring from PlayStation in January.
Update: A very small update here. Yoshida said, in one of his common social media replies to fans, that he would "like to stay in the industry" after retiring from PlayStation. Perhaps we'll hear more about where he's headed in the months ahead.
