Shuhei Yoshida, a beloved figure in the gaming community and a long-time advocate for indie developers at PlayStation, is leaving Sony Interactive Entertainment after 31 years. His departure is effective January 15, 2025.
Yoshida announced his departure during an interview on the official PlayStation Podcast, reflecting on his time at the company and his decision to move on:
I've been with PlayStation from the beginning...When I hit 30 years, I was thinking, it may be about time for me to move on...I love PlayStation 5, I love the games...PlayStation is in really good hands. I thought, okay, this is my time.
Yoshida, a BAFTA Games Fellowship recipient, has played a crucial role at PlayStation, notably championing indie game developers. He has no immediate plans but intends to remain in the industry, continuing his support for independent developers.
Having joined Ken Kutanagi's team in 1993 during the development of the original PlayStation, Yoshida was the first non-engineer on the team, responsible for liaising with Japanese publishers and developers. He has been a prominent face of PlayStation, known for memorable moments like his humorous interaction with David Cage and his iconic PS4 game-sharing demonstration.
