Former PlayStation Executive Suggests Studios Opt for Live-Service Games to Improve Project Approval Odds

Alright folks, here’s some good news. Shuhei Yoshida, a former executive at PlayStation, assures us that, as far as he knows, none of the first-party studios under PlayStation’s banner have felt compelled to pivot towards creating live-service games. Instead, it appears that many have willingly jumped on this “big initiative,” likely because they see a greater chance of their projects gaining traction and support.

During a chat with Sacred Symbols+ (shoutout to Push Square for the heads-up), Yoshida, who’s soon lending his voice to a duck mascot, shed light on this topic. It’s a revealing conversation, though admittedly, it’s the kind of diplomatic statement you’d expect from someone who’s been in a leadership position at a company of this magnitude.

In the interview, Yoshida clarifies, “From my experience, when studios see the company has a big initiative, [they realize] riding on that gives them a better chance of getting a project approved and supported.” He further elaborates, saying, “It’s not like [current PlayStation Studios boss Hermen Hulst] is telling teams they need to make live service games. It’s likely mutual.”

Yoshida’s statements sound logical, but there’s a whiff of corporate jargon here. Suggesting that studios notice their superiors’ enthusiasm for certain projects and decide to align themselves with those ideas— simply to avoid the dreaded scenario of pitch rejections and the resulting creative limbo—raises some eyebrows. It doesn’t seem like the most conducive environment for fostering innovation, and it’s a dynamic that executives should perhaps address.

Is it too idealistic to hope that companies like PlayStation aim to nurture an atmosphere where their top-tier studios feel empowered to pitch concepts true to their creative vision and market knowledge? Instead of jumping on every trending bandwagon, wouldn’t it be better if these studios focused on what they genuinely excel at—especially since the live-service genre was already a tough nut to crack before PlayStation’s ambitious, albeit largely unsuccessful, venture?

Now, I’ve never been at the helm of a gaming giant for the past three decades, so perhaps there’s more to it. Plus, it seems, Yoshida isn’t necessarily endorsing this trend; he’s just pointing out it exists.

In his candid remarks on the live-service projects that PlayStation recently shelved, he added with a hint of empathy, “Yeah, it sucks.”