Industry Veteran Shuhei Yoshida, Key Architect of PSVR, Steps Down from Sony

Shuhei Yoshida, affectionately known as ‘Shu’, recently announced his departure from Sony, marking the end of an impressive 32-year tenure with the company.

Back in November, Yoshida made it public that he would be leaving Sony, planning his retirement for January 15th, 2025. Now, the former President of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Worldwide Studios has officially said his goodbyes to the company.

On Twitter, Yoshida shared a glimpse from his farewell party, posting a lighthearted photo with the caption, “At farewell party yesterday 😆.”

Reflecting on his time with Sony, Yoshida expressed his thoughts during a PlayStation blog interview, noting, “I’ve been with PlayStation from the start, and this marks my 31st year with the brand. When I reached the 30-year milestone, I started thinking it might be time to move forward. PlayStation is in a great place. I’m enthralled by the PS5 and the new games emerging on it. Plus, we have a new wave of management whom I deeply respect and admire. I’m genuinely excited about the future of PlayStation.”

Throughout his illustrious career, Yoshida played a crucial role in establishing and nurturing legendary franchises like Gran Turismo, The Last of Us, and Uncharted during the PS3 and PS4 eras.

Yoshida also played a pivotal role in steering Sony’s gaming division through various transformative phases, effectively bridging the gap between hardware development and fostering robust partnerships with both major and indie game developers. This dedication carried into his later position as the Head of Indies Initiative at PlayStation, after stepping down from his presidential role.

One of Yoshida’s notable contributions was his passionate support for PSVR, championing its integration with the PS4 to make virtual reality more accessible. Unveiled as Project Morpheus at GDC 2014, Yoshida was instrumental in promoting VR technology, participating in public events, and nurturing developer relationships to build a substantial VR content library for the platform.

He advocated for an affordable price point and a strong lineup of games to bolster the PSVR’s 2016 launch, positioning it as a viable entry into VR, especially when compared to more expensive PC VR setups like the HTC Vive and the original Oculus Rift, which required high-end PCs.

Though Yoshida hasn’t revealed his next steps, he remains intrigued by the gaming world. Recently, he joined the vocal cast of Kaizen Game Works’ upcoming project, Promise Mascot Agency, taking on the role of a bird-like character named MonouGe.

Yoshida’s positive and candid approach has left a lasting impression on the industry. As he moves on to new adventures, Road to VR wishes him all the best in his future endeavors. Thank you, Yoshida-san, for everything.