Shuhei Yoshida, former president of Worldwide Studios at Sony Interactive Entertainment, recently shared two particularly daunting moments from his extensive PlayStation career, both orchestrated by competitors Nintendo and Xbox.

Speaking with MinnMax, Yoshida described the Xbox 360's release a year ahead of the PlayStation 3 as "very, very scary." This early launch put PlayStation at a significant disadvantage, leaving those considering waiting for Sony's console potentially far behind in experiencing next-generation gaming.

However, Yoshida pinpointed the Nintendo announcement of Monster Hunter 4 as a 3DS exclusive as the "biggest shock" from a competitor. This was particularly jarring given the immense success of the Monster Hunter franchise on the PlayStation Portable, where it boasted two exclusive titles. Yoshida was completely unaware of Nintendo's acquisition of the new game. To further complicate matters, Nintendo simultaneously slashed the 3DS price by $100, undercutting the PlayStation Vita.

"After launch, both Nintendo 3DS and Vita were $250 but they dropped $100," Yoshida recalled. "I was like, 'Oh my god'. And [then they] announced the biggest game... The biggest game on PSP was Monster Hunter. And that game is going to come out on Nintendo 3DS exclusively. I was like, 'Oh no.' That was the biggest shock."

Yoshida's retirement in January, after over three decades with Sony, has allowed him to offer these previously undisclosed insights into the competitive landscape of the gaming industry. He's also shared opinions on Sony's live service strategy and the lack of a Bloodborne remake or sequel.