Former PlayStation Executive Claims Studios Choose Live-Service Models for Better Project Approval Odds

No need to worry, folks. Shuhei Yoshida, the former PlayStation executive, is reassuring us that none of the first-party studios linked with the console giant are being coerced into creating live-service games. According to him, these studios are voluntarily hopping on this “big initiative,” probably because they believe it increases the likelihood of their projects gaining traction and receiving backing.

During an interview with Sacred Symbols+ — a nod to Push Square for the tip — Yoshida, who is soon to lend his voice to a duck mascot, shared these insights. While his remarks are intriguing, they feel like the typical commentary you’d expect from someone who’s held a top position in a major corporation like this.

In the discussion, Yoshida highlighted that once studios notice the company pushing for a particular direction, they often realize that aligning with this strategy can significantly boost the chances of their projects getting approved and funded.

“It’s not as if Hermen Hulst, the current PlayStation Studios boss, is directing teams to focus on live-service games,” Yoshida clarified. “It’s more of a collaborative decision.”

Technically, Yoshida’s not off the mark, but there’s a hint of corporate lingo here. The implication that studios observing their leadership’s keen interest in a particular trend and following suit to avoid ending up in development limbo isn’t exactly the healthiest dynamic for an organization. This is an issue executive teams should address.

Call me an idealist, but shouldn’t companies like PlayStation be encouraging an atmosphere where their premier studios trust the leadership enough to pitch ideas that leverage their unique strengths and aim for what they believe is the right move in the market? Rather than following a company-wide trend and saturating a space already challenging to conquer, such as live-service games before PlayStation’s somewhat unsuccessful big attempt.

Granted, I haven’t dedicated the last 30 years to steering one of the gaming industry’s giants. Plus, in Yoshida’s defense, he’s not necessarily endorsing this approach, but simply acknowledging its occurrence.

He also commented on PlayStation’s recent decision to cancel some live-service projects, expressing candidly, “Yeah, it sucks.”