In simpler terms, Shuhei Yoshida, a former executive at PlayStation, has shared that the lack of demand for mid-budget games (AA games) – which would cost more than indie productions but less than AAA titles – was the main factor leading to the shutdown of Sony’s Japan Studio. During an interview on the Sacred Symbols PlayStation podcast (as transcribed by VGC), Yoshida discussed his experiences collaborating with Japanese studios on major releases throughout his career.
Among the topics discussed, Yoshida highlighted the scarcity of significant AAA and AA games from Japanese developers on the PS5 platform. He attributes this as one of his disappointments, since he was unable to successfully create a live-service game, which he considers a missed opportunity.
Yoshida admitted that during his tenure, he received recognition but lamented two areas where he fell short: creating a prosperous service game and developing exceptionally successful Japanese games beyond Gran Turismo. He acknowledged that while they had numerous outstanding products, they lacked the number of triple-A hits. As the major games grew larger, this became increasingly crucial. The indie developers stepped up to fill the void, and it appears the double-A market is dwindling.
The significance of this point lies in the fact that, as Yoshida pointed out, many games produced by Japan Studio fell into the AA category. Games such as the Gravity Rush series, Knack, Soul Sacrifice (lesser-known releases), and even timeless classics like Ico and Ape Escape were part of this group.
In simpler terms, Yoshida stated, “The majority of the intellectual properties (IPs) handled by Japan Studio fell into the category of smaller double-A games. Unfortunately, this type of game faced a tough market. For instance, after releasing Gravity Rush 2, Keiichiro Toyama attempted to create a new concept, but none of his ideas could receive approval, despite being quite intriguing.
According to Yoshida, it’s unlikely that Sony will back Toyama’s game concepts in the future as the corporation is now primarily concentrating on developing large-scale AAA video games instead.
Yoshida stated, “In my thoughts, his game appeared as if it didn’t align with our company’s standards, as we were aiming for AAA titles. It was a challenge to get the game off the ground. When Japan Studios closed down and he went independent, he was finally able to develop and launch Slitterhead.
Over the past few months, Yoshida has openly discussed his 31-year tenure at Sony. After parting ways with the corporation in January, he’s shared insights into his shift towards collaborating with independent game developers, expressing disagreements with PlayStation’s emphasis on live service games during that period. However, Sony’s ventures into live service games have yielded mixed outcomes; for instance, “Helldivers 2” has been successful, while titles like “Concord” did not fare well.
Since Japan Studio closed its doors in 2021, the remaining team is now known as Team Asobi, who have been impressing us significantly with their creation, Astro Bot. For a comprehensive look at this platformer, be sure to read our review.
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2025-02-19 17:43