Shuhei Yoshida, the former president of PlayStation Worldwide Studios, recently opened up about the tough decisions he made during his tenure, recalling two major PlayStation game projects he cancelled after each had accumulated $25 million in development costs. One of the cancelled titles was from Santa Monica Studio, known for the God of War series, but was a completely new IP, not related to the God of War franchise.
In a recent podcast episode with Simon Parkin, Yoshida explained that the game had an incredible concept and interesting gameplay ideas, and was developed by very talented people. Despite many years of support, the team eventually concluded that the gameplay wasn’t shaping up as intended, and the game wasn’t finding its footing creatively, leading to the difficult decision to halt development.
Balancing Creativity and Practicality
Yoshida stressed that cancelling games early, especially during prototyping stages, is common and often necessary to avoid wasting resources. However, pulling the plug on projects deep into production, after major investments, was particularly hard. Nonetheless, he regarded it as a better choice than dragging out a project that wasn’t enjoyable or viable long-term.
The second $25 million cancellation came from a European studio. Yoshida didn’t disclose the specific project but noted it shared similar issues around lacking a strong core gameplay experience, despite coming from reputable studios with successful histories.
The Developer Perspective
Yoshida highlighted the importance of developers not feeling stuck on a project that isn’t working. He communicated with teams to assure them that stopping troubled projects early means they can move on to fresh, more promising ideas, which ultimately benefits both the developers and the company.
Context in Modern Game Development
With game budgets growing larger than ever, cancelling a $25 million project isn’t as alarming as it used to be. Yoshida acknowledged that many cancellations today involve significantly higher investments. The tough decisions reflect the high stakes and complex challenges of triple-A game development.
Yoshida’s candid reflections give fans a glimpse into the difficult reality behind the scenes at major studios, where not every ambitious game makes it to launch. Cancelled projects often represent bold experiments that didn’t pan out, but also pave the way for future successes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Shuhei Yoshida?
Shuhei Yoshida is a veteran game industry executive, former president of PlayStation Worldwide Studios, and currently Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Head of Platform Strategy & Developer Relations.
Which games did Yoshida cancel?
Yoshida cancelled at least two $25 million projects under his leadership, including a new IP from God of War developer Santa Monica Studio and another from a European studio. Specific game titles were not disclosed.
Why were these projects cancelled?
Both projects were cancelled because the gameplay and core experiences didn’t come together as intended, making them unviable to continue despite large investments and talented teams.
Is cancelling games common in the industry?
Yes, early cancellations during prototyping phases are common. High-budget cancellations after significant work happens less frequently but reflect necessary business decisions to protect resources and developer well-being.
Did Yoshida regret these cancellations?
Yoshida expressed that cancelling was hard but ultimately the right call. He emphasized the importance of starting fresh rather than forcing troubled projects to continue and drag teams down.
Conclusion
Shuhei Yoshida’s reflections on cancelling two major $25 million game projects reveal the difficult balance between creative ambition and practical realities in modern game development. Despite talented teams and exciting concepts, some projects simply don’t come together as planned. Yoshida’s leadership prioritized the health of both the studios and long-term vision, choosing to end projects rather than pursue diminishing returns. His insights provide a candid look behind the curtain of PlayStation’s development process, reminding us that every hit game is often built on the lessons learned from the ones that didn’t make it.