Ex-PlayStation Studios Head Speaks Out Against Live-Service Push; Says He Would’ve Stopped it

Expert Verified By

"Maybe That's One Reason They Removed Me!"

Story Highlight
  • The former head of PlayStation Studios states that he would have resisted the live-service approach.
  • He explained that the market is one where the winner takes all, so it comes with an inherent risk.
  • Following his departure from the role, the gaming giant has developed a dozen titles in the genre.

PlayStation’s live service push has not been too impressive so far. Except for Helldivers 2, the gaming giant has yet to find much success in the market, and failures like Concord and The Last of Us Multiplayer have only made things worse.

Fans are largely against this approach, and many industry veterans agree. Expressing his thoughts on the company’s plans, a former PlayStation executive has opposed the gaming giant’s live-service push.

Why it matters: The industry veteran’s unique insight into the situation highlights why the GAAS (games as a service) model is so risky.

Shuhei Yoshida led PlayStation’s first-party studios for 11 years, stepping away from his responsibilities in 2019. Up to that point, the executive helped bring all types of games to life on PlayStation, including shooters like Resistance and Killzone.

Reflecting on his experience, he commented that the live-service market is based on the ‘winner takes all’ mindset. This makes it incredibly tough for console exclusives to compete with giants like Call of Duty or Fortnite.

On the other hand, Shuhei Yoshida praised PlayStation for allocating additional resources to the live-service push instead of taking resources away from the development of single-player titles.

He noted that it was a risky move, but the risk was worth it for a game like Helldivers 2. However, the executive said he would have ultimately resisted this push had he been in the position of Hermen Hulst, his successor as the first-party studios head.

I would try to resist that direction. Maybe that’s one of the reasons they removed me.

-Shuhei Yoshida

Fairgame$ Same Fate As Concord
Following Concord’s Failure, All Eyes Are On Fairgame$

This statement comes as no surprise to anyone familiar with Shuhei Yoshida. Considering his involvement in PlayStation’s indie hits and the last bit of support for the PS Vita, the executive was always known to prefer creativity and single-player titles rather than chase industry trends.

Perhaps his leadership could have saved PlayStation from a catastrophe like Concord last year.

What do you think about the live-service efforts in recent years? Do you think the gaming giant made the wrong decision? Let’s discuss this in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.

Was our article helpful? 👨‍💻

Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋

How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔

Gear Up For Latest News

Get exclusive gaming & tech news before it drops. Sign up today!

Join Our Community

Still having issues? Join the Tech4Gamers Forum for expert help and community support!

Latest News

Join Our Community

104,000FansLike
32,122FollowersFollow

Trending

Final Fantasy 15 Remaster Reportedly In The Works

A new report reveals that Final Fantasy 15 is getting a remaster that will be a reworked version of the original game with new features.

PlatinumGames To Reveal NieR: Automata Sequel This Year, Says Insider

A notable industry insider has claimed that PlatinumGames is preparing to reveal a NieR: Automata sequel sometime this year.

Avowed Director Says Game Will Be Janky; Asks Fans To Accept It

Avowed director Carrie Patel appeared in an interview to confirm that the game will contain some jank that players will have to deal with.

Battlefield 6: Dice Looking At Everything That Worked In Past Games To Rebuild Franchise

The current Battlefield 6 Lead Producer has assured fans that Dice is taking the series' history into account when creating the new game.

PlayStation Confirms PSN Back Up; Offering Free PS Plus As Compensation For Downtime

PlayStation has revealed that it will be giving players multiple days of free PS Plus access to make up for the recent PSN outage.