After nearly 32 years with Sony, the beloved Shuhei Yoshida, fondly known as ‘Shu’, has officially left the company.
Last November, Yoshida shared his plans to retire, setting January 15, 2025, as his departure date. Now, the former President of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Worldwide Studios has bid farewell after decades of dedicated service.
In a light-hearted tweet from his farewell party, Shuhei didn’t hold back his emotions, which have always resonated with fans worldwide. Reflecting on his experiences in a PlayStation blog interview, Yoshida shared, “I’ve been with PlayStation from the beginning, and this is my 31st year with PlayStation. When I hit 30 years, I was thinking, hmm, it may be about time for me to move on. 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.”
Throughout his years, Yoshida’s influence spanned numerous landmark projects and beloved franchises. His fingerprints can be found on the success of Gran Turismo, The Last of Us, and Uncharted, marking him as a pivotal figure in their development during the PS3 and PS4 era.
Yoshida also played a crucial role in Sony’s evolution, guiding both hardware and software initiatives while nurturing lasting partnerships with both major and indie developers. After stepping down as Worldwide Studios President, he championed the Head of Indies Initiative, further cementing his passion for the industry.
A true pioneer, Yoshida led the charge with PSVR, aiming to make virtual reality accessible to everyone. First revealed as Project Morpheus at GDC 2014, his advocacy for VR saw him passionately involved in promoting the technology’s integration with the PS4.
His vision paid off when in 2016, thanks to Shuhei’s efforts in pushing for reasonable pricing and a robust content roster, PSVR became a more entry-level choice into the VR world compared to the high-end systems available then.
As to what comes next for Yoshida, the gaming community holds its breath. While he hasn’t disclosed his future steps, it’s evident his heart remains in the video game realm. Recently, he announced a new endeavor, lending his voice to a character in Kaizen Game Works’ upcoming project, Promise Mascot Agency, portraying a bird-like character named ‘MonouGe’.
Yoshida has always brought a genuine, candid spirit to the industry. We at Road to VR extend our heartfelt best wishes as he embarks on his next adventure. 吉田さん、ありがとうございます (Thank you very much, Yoshida-san!).
