PlayStation Icon's Fears Reignited by Xbox, Nintendo

Shuhei Yoshida, former head of Worldwide Studios at Sony Interactive Entertainment, recently recounted the two most daunting moments of his PlayStation career, both orchestrated by competitors Nintendo and Xbox.

In a MinnMax interview, Yoshida described the Xbox 360's one-year head start on the PlayStation 3 as "very, very scary," fearing potential console buyers would be significantly behind in experiencing next-gen gaming.

However, Yoshida cited Nintendo's announcement of Monster Hunter 4's 3DS exclusivity as an even greater shock. This was particularly unsettling given Monster Hunter's immense success on the PlayStation Portable, boasting two exclusive titles. The surprise was compounded by Nintendo's simultaneous $100 price drop on the 3DS, undercutting the PlayStation Vita.

"After launch, both the Nintendo 3DS and Vita were priced at $250, but then they dropped the 3DS price by $100," Yoshida recalled. "I was stunned. And then the announcement of the biggest game... Monster Hunter, the biggest game on PSP, was going to be a Nintendo 3DS exclusive. That was a huge blow."

Yoshida's retirement in January, after over three decades with Sony, has allowed him to share such previously undisclosed insights. He's also shared opinions on Sony's live service strategy and the lack of a Bloodborne remake or sequel.