After the successful launch of PS5 Pro, one of the key figures, Shuhei Yoshida, has resigned, recalling the inception of the iconic console.
The most wanted gaming console's 30th anniversary comes with a major goodbye. Shuhei Yoshida (60), a PlayStation veteran, is leaving the company. The Japanese businessman has worked with the brand since 1993 and saw the launch of the very first console back in December 1994.
“I've been with PlayStation from the beginning, and this is my 31st year with PlayStation,” he said on PlayStation’s podcast. “When I hit 30 years, I was thinking, hmm, it may be time for me to move on. You know, the company's been doing great. I love the PS5. I love the games that are coming out on this platform.
As he steps down, Yoshida highlighted his respect for and admiration for the new generations of management. ”I’m so excited for the future of PlayStation,” he commented.
Since the birth of the iconic console
Yoshida recalls joining the team of the so-called “father of PlayStation,” Ken Kutaragi, 31 years ago. He was the first non-tech person on the team of engineers working to develop the original PlayStation.
When he joined, PlayStation was still a department made up of two teams – one developing the console and another preparing to make games for it.
The teams merged in November 1993, creating Sony Computer Entertainment, which is now known as Sony Interactive Entertainment.
“When the company was established as a joint venture, we held a party, and everybody was in one room at the hotel,” he laughed. “I remember we had about 80 people total. We were very small.”
No one took PlayStation seriously at first
Yoshida said that, from the start, the team had high ambitions for the product they were developing.
“We were so excited about the innovation that Ken’s team was bringing in, like 3D graphics, real-time technology, and a CD-ROM with lots of data that we can put in, with a low manufacturing cost.”
However, he remembers that the PlayStation brand was relatively unknown in the video game industry, competing against major players when attempting to enter the market.
“Before the launch of PlayStation, I think we were not taken very seriously by the industry, to be honest,” he said.
Yoshida announced his departure from Sony Interactive Entertainment starting January 15th, 2025. During his last few years in the company, he has worked as the Head of the Indie Initiative.
PS5 Pro sales exceed expectations
The resignation comes after the successful launch of the PS5 Pro. The PlayStation released its newest gadget on November 7th, 2024, with a price tag of $699.99. The new console was expected to face obstacles in sales.
However, despite doubts, the PS5 Pro sold more than 78,000 units in Japan during its debut week. It surpassed the launch sales of the PS4 Pro, which sold above 65,000 units during its first week in 2016.
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