PlayStation Legend Shuhei Yoshida 'Would've Tried to Resist' Sony's Live Service Push

Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida reveals he would have resisted Sony's controversial live service game push, citing the inherent risks. Yoshida, SIE Worldwide Studios President from 2008 to 2019, expressed concerns to Kinda Funny Games about Sony's substantial investment in a genre known for its unpredictable outcomes.

This statement comes amidst a period of significant challenges for PlayStation's live service titles. While Helldivers 2 achieved remarkable success, becoming the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game ever, other ventures have faltered. Concord, in particular, stands as a major setback, lasting only weeks before being shut down due to extremely low player numbers. The project, reportedly costing around $200 million in initial development (excluding IP rights and studio acquisition, according to Kotaku), represents a considerable financial loss for Sony. This follows the cancellation of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us multiplayer game and, recently, two unannounced live service titles.

Yoshida, departing Sony after 31 years, hypothetically positioned himself as current CEO Hermen Hulst, suggesting he would have advocated against the heavy investment in live service games. He emphasized the potential misallocation of resources, arguing that funding live service games at the expense of established franchises like God of War was unwise. He acknowledged Sony's increased investment in live service after his departure, but maintained that the inherent risk of success in such a competitive market was significant. The unexpected success of Helldivers 2 highlights the unpredictable nature of the industry, leaving Sony's overall live service strategy still uncertain.

Sony's financial reports reflect this mixed bag. President, COO, and CFO Hiroki Totoki attributed Concord's failure to insufficient early user testing and internal evaluation, suggesting a need for earlier intervention in the development process. He also cited Sony's "siloed organization" and Concord's unfortunate release window, close to the launch of Black Myth: Wukong, as contributing factors. Senior vice president Sadahiko Hayakawa emphasized the contrasting outcomes of Helldivers 2 and Concord, highlighting the valuable lessons learned, which will inform future development strategies. Sony plans to balance its portfolio, leveraging its established single-player IPs while cautiously pursuing live service opportunities.

Despite setbacks, several PlayStation live service games remain under development, including Bungie's Marathon, Guerrilla's Horizon Online, and Haven Studio's Fairgame$. The future success of these projects will be crucial in determining the ultimate viability of Sony's live service approach.