Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Yoshida: No UMD Passport program in the west because of pricing, demand]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/yoshida-no-umd-passport-program-in-the-west-because-of-pricing/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/yoshida-no-umd-passport-program-in-the-west-because-of-pricing/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/yoshida-no-umd-passport-program-in-the-west-because-of-pricing/#comments The reason for the PlayStation Vita UMD Passport program's absence in the west boils down to pricing and demand, according to Sony senior VP Shuhei Yoshida. In a recent interview with Wired -- the same one in which he gave a progress report on The Last Guardian -- Yoshida explained that the market for PSP titles is much different in Japan.

In Japan, said Yoshida, the PSP is still doing well. Many customers who might pick up a Vita are "also interested in playing PSP games that they might purchase before Vita comes out," he noted, adding that many such customers may not choose the (Vita compatible) digital versions.

Furthermore, digital PSP releases in the west are available for "a really reasonable price." He mentioned Final Fantasy Tactics as an example, which is a $10 download in the US (cheaper than the iOS release!). Yoshida states that PSP games are much more expensive in Japan, so paying between $5 and $10 for a digital copy in addition to the UMD is a better value. "But when the games are already sold at a lower price in the U.S.," he said, "we see less value in introducing that kind of system."

JoystiqYoshida: No UMD Passport program in the west because of pricing, demand originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>playstationplaystation-vitapspshuhei-yoshidasonyumd-passportvitaFri, 24 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Santa Monica (and more) helping with The Last Guardian]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/21/sony-santa-monica-helping-with-the-last-guardian/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/21/sony-santa-monica-helping-with-the-last-guardian/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/21/sony-santa-monica-helping-with-the-last-guardian/#comments Sony Senior VP Shuhei Yoshida has confirmed to Wired that Sony Santa Monica team members are contributing to The Last Guardian -- along with a few more. "Well, you know, it's not just Santa Monica," he says. "We have great tech people in Worldwide Studios. We have a central tech group in the U.S. and the U.K. so we are giving them whatever help they need. Technically, we have the best engineers in the U.S. and Europe, so these teams are helping them, giving advice."

Progress on The Last Guardian may be slow right now, but Yoshida assures us the game is still coming. The departure of Fumito Ueda was exaggerated, he says, as the famed designer is still going to finish The Last Guardian on contract with Sony.

"At one point the progress was great, so we talked about the timing of the launch in the past. But now it's making progress, but still not to the level -- it's playable, but not to the point that we can talk about the timing of launch." But now, "the progress is slow," he says, and "sometimes the team has to go back and review things."

The Last Guardian is still planned for 2012, but there seems to be little certainty over that time frame. "There's a vision that we want to realize but it's very very tough and technical issue that the team is tackling and some plans have to be made to evaluate and go through the process," Yoshida says.

JoystiqSony Santa Monica (and more) helping with The Last Guardian originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fumito-uedaplaystationps3shuhei-yoshidasony-santa-monicateam-icoThe-Last-GuardianTue, 21 Feb 2012 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Yoshida plays down lackluster Vita sales in Japan with PSP sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/yoshida-plays-down-lackluster-vita-sales-in-japan-with-psp-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/yoshida-plays-down-lackluster-vita-sales-in-japan-with-psp-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/yoshida-plays-down-lackluster-vita-sales-in-japan-with-psp-sales/#comments President of worldwide studios for Sony Computer Entertainment Shuhei Yoshida recognizes that the Vita hasn't sold very well in Japan, but he thinks it will do better in the US. Why? Because Sony's previous handheld venture, the PSP, is still "very popular" in Japan. Or something like that.

"So, the Japanese launch, you saw the sell-through numbers, you notice that we haven't been able to sell out the units that we sold in," Yoshida told VentureBeat, responding to a prompt about lessons learned for the US launch from Japanese Vita sales. "But looking very objectively at the market situation there in Japan, especially on the portable, PSP is still very popular."

Yoshida said Sony needs to communicate the Vita as a brand, not just another portable device, to potential players. Part of that is visible in Sony's marketing campaign, which includes $50 million of commercials, billboards, online banner ads, retail deals and hashtags.

"We are still seeing good sales through PSP, and we are advertising on TV, a dedicated PSP TV campaign, at the same time we are introducing Vita," Yoshida said, continuing to discuss the merits of the PSP as a children's entertainment system. He did mention one plan directly for the Vita: "At the same time, we are trying to communicate the value and new, exciting features of PS Vita to an older, mature, core gamer audience."

JoystiqYoshida plays down lackluster Vita sales in Japan with PSP sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>little-deviantsplaystationplaystation-vitaPSPsceshuhei-yoshidaSONYvitavita-launchTue, 14 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Why Sony passed on publishing Demon's Souls in America]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/why-sony-passed-on-publishing-demons-souls-in-america/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/why-sony-passed-on-publishing-demons-souls-in-america/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/why-sony-passed-on-publishing-demons-souls-in-america/#comments Nobody expected Demon's Souls to be the hit it was, least of all Sony, the game's publisher in Japan. When Atlus decided to publish the game in North America, it took a risk -- one that paid off. The duty of publishing the sequel, Dark Souls, would then go to Namco Bandai.

Does Sony regret passing on publishing Demon's Souls in North America? Senior VP Shuhei Yoshida thinks so. He told Game Informer the company passed on the game after seeing an earlier build of the game. "What happened with Demon's Souls was until very late in the game's development, we were not able to play the game through. There were framerate issues and the network was not up and running. We underestimated the quality of the game and to be honest, the media in Japan did the same."

But still, even after a few hours with the final product, Yoshida remarked that he just wasn't able to see the value in the game. "For my personal experience with Demon's Souls, when it was close to final I spent close to two hours playing it and after two hours I was still standing at the beginning at the game. I said, 'This is crap. This is an unbelievably bad game.' So I put it aside." In the end, Yoshida admitted Sony "dropped the ball from a publishing standpoint" and was not able to "see the value of the product."

JoystiqWhy Sony passed on publishing Demon's Souls in America originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusDemons-Soulsplaystationps3sceashuhei-yoshidasonyFri, 10 Feb 2012 21:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Yoshida: The Last Guardian still happening, but progress 'slow']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/yoshida-the-last-guardian-still-happening-but-progress-slow/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/yoshida-the-last-guardian-still-happening-but-progress-slow/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/yoshida-the-last-guardian-still-happening-but-progress-slow/#comments We've had assurances of The Last Guardian's continued existence, but in the absence of empirical proof we could always use one more. 1UP received a rather authoritative one from Sony Worldwide Studios head Shuhei Yoshida at DICE, who said he's "been seeing it."

Yoshida reports that, after leaving Sony and becoming a contractor, producer Fumito Ueda continues working on the game as normal. His departure was "an arrangement so he could focus on the creative side," Yoshida said. "But his work and his presence on that team never changed, so it was just more a contractual rearrangement, and that was taken [by many] as 'he left.'"

Ueda is still in the office, "probably one of the people who works the longest hours," Yoshida said. Progress is still taking place on The Last Guardian, "but slow progress."

JoystiqYoshida: The Last Guardian still happening, but progress 'slow' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dice-2012fumito-uedaplaystationps3shuhei-yoshidateam-icoThe-Last-GuardianFri, 10 Feb 2012 11:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Shuhei Yoshida expects a focus on new IP for Vita]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/shuhei-yoshida-expects-a-focus-on-new-ip-for-vita/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/shuhei-yoshida-expects-a-focus-on-new-ip-for-vita/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/shuhei-yoshida-expects-a-focus-on-new-ip-for-vita/#comments Sony president of Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida has expressed his love for Queasy Games' Sound Shapes over the rest of the PlayStation Vita's lineup, and offered a couple hints as to the future of the new handheld's software lineup.

"When we introduce new hardware with unique interfaces and network options, it is almost easier to work on something completely new," Yoshida said in a recent interview with Sony's EU PlayStation blog. "Take rear touch on PS Vita - we'd rather be thinking about how we can make fresh games using that feature than figuring out ways to add it to something that already exists." This concept is already reflected by games like the aforementioned Sound Shapes, as well as Escape Plan and Gravity Daze, while the opposite is reflected in entries like Uncharted, Resistance, and Killzone. That said, Sony's plans extend at least a few years into the future.

"Generally we look three years ahead when we work on games. We have a fairly firm plan right up to 2013," Yoshida told the blog. He also admitted that, with PSP, the company's attention shifted dramatically to the PS3 when it launched, leaving the portable handheld somewhat in the dark -- something he promises won't happen with the Vita. "In the past we launched PSP and then shifted our attention to PS3 when that came on the horizon, which we now concede was a mistake. So with PS Vita we are working on this huge range titles and planning ahead for a constant supply of excellent games." Fingers crossed, folks!

JoystiqShuhei Yoshida expects a focus on new IP for Vita originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>playstationplaystation-vitaqueasy-gamesshuhei-yoshidasound-shapesvitaThu, 22 Dec 2011 11:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony's Yoshida 'very aware' of how much we hate firmware updates]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/21/sonys-yoshida-very-aware-of-how-much-we-hate-firmware-updates/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/21/sonys-yoshida-very-aware-of-how-much-we-hate-firmware-updates/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/21/sonys-yoshida-very-aware-of-how-much-we-hate-firmware-updates/#comments "I agree, it's very annoying when you only have one hour in your busy life to play a game, and when you have to spend 30 minutes out of that one hour to update the hardware." Shuhei Yoshida gets it.

Speaking to Game Informer, the president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios concurs that both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable have made an intrusive habit out of firmware updates. And though the upcoming Vita "will be fortified" with regards to security, Yoshida hopes that updates will be reduced in footprint, if not in frequency.

"So it's not necessarily the frequency of how we update, it's like you said - intrusiveness - of the current processes that we have on PS3 and PSP," says Yoshida. "I cannot talk about specific plans, but we are very aware of the issues, and we'd like to address those issues on PS Vita going forward."

In the same interview, Yoshida elaborates on other lessons learned from the PSP's lifespan. Consistent, post-launch software support is crucial, he says, as is more distinct separation between portable games with console-level production values, and regular PlayStation 3 titles. "We had many products on PSP, but most of these games like God of War [Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta] came from the console. Basically, you can play a bigger, better version of these titles on PS3."

Yoshida says Vita games must leverage traits unique to the portable system, so as not to simply reproduce franchises (including Uncharted and Resistance) that can be found in superior format on console. So, are touchscreen and tilt controls really enough to distinguish a game like Golden Abyss? Sony knows this is the kind of game you like to play; it just needs to convince you that it's the kind you also want to play on the Vita.

JoystiqSony's Yoshida 'very aware' of how much we hate firmware updates originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>playstationplaystation-vitapspresistance-burning-skiesshuhei-yoshidasonyuncharted-golden-abyssvitaWed, 21 Sep 2011 09:15:00 EST<![CDATA[PlayStation Vita augmented reality comes in two very different flavors]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/playstation-vita-augmented-reality-comes-in-two-very-different-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/playstation-vita-augmented-reality-comes-in-two-very-different-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/playstation-vita-augmented-reality-comes-in-two-very-different-f/#comments Sony Computer Entertainment head of Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida has a carpet with a little monkey in it. Except the monkey's virtual, and he's using a PlayStation Vita to make the little guy appear. Thus is the Vita's "Markerless AR," an augmented reality application that Yoshida demonstrated with a smile on-stage during Sony's TGS 2011 keynote this afternoon in Tokyo.

Yoshida also had a set of marker cards and "Wide Area" AR to boot, showing off a full-scale game played across a table with a handful of marker cards laid out to assist in the process. Yoshida's demonstration seems to indicate the the Vita will ship with a variety of AR applications when it launches this December in Japan -- perhaps even more than the handful of AR games that Nintendo's 3DS came packed with earlier this year. We'll do our best to nail down some more specifics this week as TGS continues.

JoystiqPlayStation Vita augmented reality comes in two very different flavors originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>araugmented-realitymarkerless-arplaystationplaystation-vitaps-vitashuhei-yoshidasonytgstgs-2011tokyo-game-showtokyo-game-show-2011vitawide-area-arThu, 15 Sep 2011 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Torne application on PS Vita allows for remote TV recording and viewing]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/14/torne-application-on-ps-vita-allows-for-remote-tv-recording-and/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/14/torne-application-on-ps-vita-allows-for-remote-tv-recording-and/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/14/torne-application-on-ps-vita-allows-for-remote-tv-recording-and/#comments Sony's hardware-based Torne service is heading to the PlayStation Vita, albeit in application form. Sony head of worldwide studios Shuhei Yoshida introduced the application live on-stage during today's second keynote, demonstrating the ability to navigate television listings, remotely set up recordings, and stream television, all via the PlayStation Vita and its Torne application.

Yoshida never stated an exact release date, but he implied that the application would launch with the Vita in Japan this December. And as you might expect, the application is thus far only slated for the Japanese market.

JoystiqTorne application on PS Vita allows for remote TV recording and viewing originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 23:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>japanplaystationplaystation-vitaps-vitashuhei-yoshidasonytgstgs-2011tokyo-game-showtokyo-game-show-2011tornevitaWed, 14 Sep 2011 23:55:00 EST<![CDATA[PlayStation Vita has more RAM than PS3 (hey, cross-game chat!)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/playstation-vita-has-more-ram-than-ps3-hey-cross-game-chat/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/playstation-vita-has-more-ram-than-ps3-hey-cross-game-chat/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/playstation-vita-has-more-ram-than-ps3-hey-cross-game-chat/#comments More is always better, right? For Sony's upcoming PlayStation Vita portable, more RAM means it has some features that big brother PlayStation 3 doesn't: namely, cross-game chat, courtesy of the console's Party system. "So the reason why we were able to include something like Party, which enables cross-game voice chat," Sony Worldwide Studios prez Shuhei Yoshida told Eurogamer, "is because we designed Vita so it always has enough resources to handle something like that behind the game while it's running."

Sony has finally confirmed the specifications of the system's RAM, after rumors that the electronics giant had halved the RAM to better compete on price with the 3DS. "There were some rumours for the last few months. Some developer mentioned the RAM was halved. We never announced the amount of RAM, and we never changed it," Yoshida said. So in order to combat confusion, they went into Gamescom unafraid to share those details.

And, without further ado, we'll share those deets! The PlayStation Vita has 512MB of RAM and 128MB of V-RAM, compared to the PlayStation 3's 256MB of system RAM and 256MB of video RAM. While that's half of the PS3's video RAM, Yoshida reminds us that the resolution of the two platforms is very different. "The resolution on the PS Vita screen is much lower," he explained. "Even though it's four times the resolution of PSP, compared to the console, the amount of data you have to push is much smaller."

While this all sounds like good news, there is another reading: Since the Vita uses all that extra system RAM to allow for cross-game chat, one could assume Sony will remain unable to implement the long-requested feature on the PS3. Then again, nearly five years into the console's life, that inability should be pretty apparent to everyone by now.

[Update: Apparent as it may be, we thought we'd share this additional quote that Eurogamer published. "Once a game gets RAM we never give it back," Yoshida said. "It's not possible to retrofit something like that after the fact."]

JoystiqPlayStation Vita has more RAM than PS3 (hey, cross-game chat!) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamescom-2011playstationplaystation-vitaps3ramshuhei-yoshidavitaThu, 18 Aug 2011 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony must support indie developers, says Yoshida]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/11/sony-must-support-indie-developers-says-yoshida/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/11/sony-must-support-indie-developers-says-yoshida/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/11/sony-must-support-indie-developers-says-yoshida/#comments Speaking to Develop Online, Sony Computer Entertainment's Worldwide Studio President Shuhei Yoshida said that the gaming megalith sees value in the continuously expanding world of indie development, and that supporting those developers is the key to industry growth.

"We have to support those smaller teams," he said. "Without doing so, the whole industry will stall, in terms of innovation." Yoshida thinks Sony's forthcoming PS Vita will serve as a good platform for indie developers currently subsisting in the mobile-phone universe, citing the handheld's capacitive touch-screen and AR capabilities as an entry-level gateway for development on the platform.

He also added that the Vita's development kit has been specifically engineered with affordability in mind, and that the system is "small and light and easy for developers to handle." With smartphones gobbling up increasingly larger slices of the mobile gaming pie, Sony seems to be positioning itself as the indie-friendly option for mobile developers looking to enter the world of dedicated gaming devices.

JoystiqSony must support indie developers, says Yoshida originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>indie-developersmobile-gamingplaystationplaystation-vitaPS-VitaShuhei-YoshidasmartphonessonyVitaYoshidaMon, 11 Jul 2011 15:40:00 EST<![CDATA[PlayStation Vita's rear touch panel almost got bumped]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/22/playstation-vitas-rear-touch-panel-almost-got-bumped/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/22/playstation-vitas-rear-touch-panel-almost-got-bumped/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/22/playstation-vitas-rear-touch-panel-almost-got-bumped/#comments It seems as if Sony wasn't quite feeling the PlayStation Vita's rear touch panel at first. Speaking to Famitsu (as translated by Andriasang), Sony's president of worldwide studios, Shuhei Yoshida, revealed that the portable's most groundbreaking feature was nearly stricken from the final design due to cost concerns. Specifically, Sony wasn't sure that the effect it would have on gameplay was worth its part of the sticker price.

That changed, though, after people actually got their hands on it; it went from questionable to being a must-have feature. Yoshida said in the same interview that while the touch panel is definitely a keeper, some small elements of the Vita's design are still subject to change. We're guessing he means minor cosmetic tweaks, since the hardware we saw at E3 seemed pretty much final. Whatever gets altered, it'd better not involve removing the ultra-spiffy PlayStation icon pattern on the touch panel.

JoystiqPlayStation Vita's rear touch panel almost got bumped originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hardwareplaystationplaystation-vitaps-vitashuhei-yoshidasonytouch-panelvitaWed, 22 Jun 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NGP in development 'since the beginning of 2008,' first-party Suite games in the works]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/ngp-in-development-since-the-beginning-of-2008-first-party-su/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/ngp-in-development-since-the-beginning-of-2008-first-party-su/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/ngp-in-development-since-the-beginning-of-2008-first-party-su/#comments How long has the successor to PSP been in the works? According to Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida, "since the beginning of 2008." The timing coincides with the first rumors about the device, which (correctly) predicted the system's lack of a UMD drive, touch screen and dual analog support.

Yoshida also explained that Worldwide Studios had been officially involved with NGP game development since then, too, which helps explain the dearth of first-party content for the original PSP beginning in 2008. According to Wikipedia, Sony has released only 16 first-party games for the PSP in the last two years -- about the same number of games it had ready for the system's launch.

While Sony is working on delivering triple-A titles for the NGP launch, Yoshida noted that first-party teams are also working on "short form games" for PlayStation Suite, Sony's upcoming cross-platform service for NGP and Android. Given the last game we recall Sony ever developing for a non-PlayStation device was Wipeout 64, that's certainly an historic move.

JoystiqNGP in development 'since the beginning of 2008,' first-party Suite games in the works originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidmobilengpplaystationplaystation-suiteplaystation-vitapsppsp2shuhei-yoshidasonyvitaFri, 04 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Yoshida: NGP and PSP will co-exist]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/yoshida-ngp-and-psp-will-co-exist/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/yoshida-ngp-and-psp-will-co-exist/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/yoshida-ngp-and-psp-will-co-exist/#comments Sony Computer Entertainment worldwide studios president Shuhei Yoshida recently reaffirmed his belief in an age-old adage: Make new friends, but don't discontinue the old. Speaking to Edge (via CVG), Yoshida explained that the company plans to allow the PSP and its fresh, fresh successor, the NGP, to co-exist on store shelves. He added that the NGP "can't replace a platform that has already been on sale for seven years now." Wait, that's not how that works? We thought new things replace old things, and that's why they call them "new" and "old," respectively.

Yoshida said that cost plays a part in Sony's strategy, explaining, "In terms of pricing, we can't sell the NGP for the same price as a PSP." He added, "I think the NGP needs time to mature and get adopted by users. So, for the time being, both platforms will coexist." We smell the origins of a wacky, generational gap-based sitcom, here.

JoystiqYoshida: NGP and PSP will co-exist originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ngpplaystationplaystation-vitapspretailshuhei-yoshidasonyvitaSat, 12 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NGP battery life likely comparable to PSP]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/27/ngp-battery-life-likely-comparable-to-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/27/ngp-battery-life-likely-comparable-to-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/27/ngp-battery-life-likely-comparable-to-psp/#comments A 1UP report quotes Sony head of Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida saying that the NGP handheld will have "about the same [battery life] as the original PSP." The PSP's battery life varies considerably from around 3 hours if the UMD disc drive was whirring away, to much longer if played off flash storage. Sony's official estimate for average PSP operation time is 3-5 hours.

Meanwhile, Eurogamer has Sony Europe honcho Andrew House saying the device will have a "good, solid battery life because of two factors." The dual delights of life extension are apparently the card-based media (instead of UMD, which requires moving parts) and the OLED screen. Those potential power savers are joined by energy-sapping features like a four-core CPU, 3G, and other factors, helping explain the PSP-like battery life.

JoystiqNGP battery life likely comparable to PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andrew-housebatterybattery-lifengpplaystationplaystation-vitapspPSP2shuhei-yoshidasonyvitaThu, 27 Jan 2011 15:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Killzone 3 to include split-screen]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/06/rumor-killzone-3-to-include-split-screen/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/06/rumor-killzone-3-to-include-split-screen/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/06/rumor-killzone-3-to-include-split-screen/#comments According to an image from NicaGamerz of an alleged Killzone 3 preview build, the third Helghast murder simulator will allow for split-screen co-op -- a function that previous entries lacked. Sony of Europe gave VG247 an official "no comment" on the possibility, but also didn't deny the rumor. However, earlier this year at E3, president of SCE worldwide studios Shuhei Yoshida spoke to us about Killzone 3's 3D functionality, saying, "We were going to give players two screens anyway, for some mode ... for some gameplay anyway." Split-screen, perhaps? Given that Killzone 3 is a 3D title and its video is already being rendered twice for the 3D effect, the possibility of split-screen is a bit of a given.

As for whether the split-screen will allow friends to take the game online together is unknown, but it seems players will at least be able to shoot up yellow-eyed baddies on a couch together. Let's put it this way: we're giving today's news the "rumor" tag, but calling the possibility "very likely."

JoystiqRumor: Killzone 3 to include split-screen originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>co-opguerrilla-gamesKillzone-3playstationps3sceasceeshuhei-yoshidasony-computer-entertainment-europesplit-screenMon, 06 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony's Yoshida explains why Move wasn't possible at PS3 launchtime]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/24/sonys-yoshida-explains-why-move-wasnt-possible-at-ps3-launch/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/24/sonys-yoshida-explains-why-move-wasnt-possible-at-ps3-launch/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/24/sonys-yoshida-explains-why-move-wasnt-possible-at-ps3-launch/#commentsFiled under: , ,

From a technological perspective, PlayStation Move offers much more than what Nintendo's original Wiimote, and even the subsequent MotionPlus add-on, can provide. However, critics point out that it's taken four years for Sony to develop and market a proper response to Nintendo. Considering Move-like technology was in development at Sony since the PS2 era, why has it taken the company so long to produce something? Shuhei Yoshida, president of Sony's Worldwide Studios, offered a reasonable explanation.

"We couldn't have made Move when we launched PS3," Yoshida told Wired. "We needed the time to be able to create the performance of Move with the target price that we started out with." (Microsoft has reportedly struggled with balancing technological edge with a reasonable price tag for Kinect, as well.) Still, all these years later, PlayStation Move controllers aren't exactly cheap, and Sony continues to been criticized for being late to the game. Yoshida had his response to that, though: "A 2010 system is what we are launching in 2010. In that sense, I don't think we are late at all."

Of course, with sales of Wii hardware and software on the decline, even Sony has to wonder: Has the motion control fad lost its momentum? It'll be interesting to see how Move (and Kinect) answer that question in the months to come.

JoystiqSony's Yoshida explains why Move wasn't possible at PS3 launchtime originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>playstationplaystation-moveps3shuhei-yoshidaFri, 24 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony's Yoshida sees Kinect as healthy competition, 3DTV-exclusive games as nonsensical]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/20/sonys-yoshida-sees-kinect-as-healthy-competition-3dtv-exclusiv/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/20/sonys-yoshida-sees-kinect-as-healthy-competition-3dtv-exclusiv/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/20/sonys-yoshida-sees-kinect-as-healthy-competition-3dtv-exclusiv/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sony and Microsoft may be going head to head this holiday with motion-based gaming peripherals, but SCE Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida doesn't see Microsoft's massive Kinect ad campaign as a problem for PlayStation's Move -- in fact, Sony quite likes the free attention it's getting as a result. Yoshida recently admitted as much to GamesIndustry.biz, saying, "I've always felt like we were lucky that Microsoft made such a big deal with Project Natal. In a broader sense, we are categorized as 'motion gaming' -- if we were just doing Move, we wouldn't have had as much coverage and attention from media and consumers."

Also, despite the fact that Sony has been touting 3D functionality in lots of upcoming games -- even updating older releases with the technology -- Yoshida doesn't necessarily believe we'll be seeing 3DTV-exclusive titles anytime soon. "Never say never -- but I don't think that makes sense. Stereoscopic 3D isn't adding something completely different, it's just making it a bit more natural for users to see 3D images. We just don't have to think about making games exclusive to 3DTV," he said.

The interview also covers the turbulent trip of the hand-carried PlayStation Move prototype by Richard Marx, not to mention the changes in Sony's structure over the past few years as various major executives have played musical chairs.

JoystiqSony's Yoshida sees Kinect as healthy competition, 3DTV-exclusive games as nonsensical originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 20:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3d3dtvkinectmicrosoftplaystationplaystation-moveps3richard-marxshuhei-yoshidaxboxMon, 20 Sep 2010 20:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Video interview: Sony's Shuhei Yoshida on Team Ico, Insomniac, Move, and more]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/01/video-interview-sonys-shuhei-yoshida-on-team-ico-insomniac-m/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/01/video-interview-sonys-shuhei-yoshida-on-team-ico-insomniac-m/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/01/video-interview-sonys-shuhei-yoshida-on-team-ico-insomniac-m/#commentsShuhei Yoshida While at E3, we had a chance to speak with the always affable Shuhei Yoshida, President of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios. That title means he's the man in charge of Sony's first-party software, which also means he's the man to ask about Team Ico's absence from the show (No Last Guardian? No Ico / Shadow of the Colossus HD remake?), Insomniac's multi-platform future, the responsibility of first-party studios in defining the potential of PlayStation Move, the oft-rumored Warhawk sequel, the new Twisted Metal game, and more.

Continue reading Video interview: Sony's Shuhei Yoshida on Team Ico, Insomniac, Move, and more

JoystiqVideo interview: Sony's Shuhei Yoshida on Team Ico, Insomniac, Move, and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2010playstationps3pspSCEShuhei-YoshidaSonyThu, 01 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony focused on Move and 3D, not PS3 price drop]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/29/sony-focused-on-move-and-3d-not-ps3-price-drop/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/29/sony-focused-on-move-and-3d-not-ps3-price-drop/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/29/sony-focused-on-move-and-3d-not-ps3-price-drop/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sony Worldwide Studio President Shuhei Yoshida isn't looking to cut the price of the $299 PS3 this fiscal year. Speaking with IGN, the executive reiterated that the console became profitable this year. "We aren't making huge money from hardware, but we aren't bleeding like we used to," he added.

The company is currently focused on getting PS3s on retail shelves, having run into supply issues throughout most of this year. Yoshida noted that Sony is currently "trying to catch up [its] production."

With its attention on marketing 3D gaming (and TVs) and the impending Move launch, Yoshida said that Sony is considering additional hardware bundles to appeal to consumers instead of slashing the price of the base PS3 model.

JoystiqSony focused on Move and 3D, not PS3 price drop originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dmoveplaystationplaystation-moveprice-cutps3shuhei-yoshidaTue, 29 Jun 2010 15:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5 includes track editor, weather and go-karts]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/21/gran-turismo-5-includes-track-editor-weather-and-go-karts/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/21/gran-turismo-5-includes-track-editor-weather-and-go-karts/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/21/gran-turismo-5-includes-track-editor-weather-and-go-karts/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sony may have dropped a few details about Gran Turismo 5 (like a release date) at its E3 presentation, but it was saving the real news for an even bigger event: Cue random interview on the UK PlayStation site with Sony Worldwide Studios head Shuhei Yoshida.

In this interview, Yoshida casually confirms the existence of unannounced elements in the racing sim, including a track editor and go-karts. For every individual driver, Yoshida says there is " a driving experience to suit, whether that is taking on the Top Gear test track, chucking cars around stunt arenas, go-karting, creating and sharing your own track or intense head-to-head races."

Elsewhere in the interview (and just as nonchalantly), Yoshida references some " new game-enhancing graphical effects, such as damage, night racing and weather." Damage has already been confirmed and weather rumored.

Of course, we aren't totally sure Gran Turismo 5 is a real game yet, and if it is as imaginary as it seems to be, you can say pretty much anything is in it, like: "Gran Turismo 5 will feature Crocodile Mile racing." See? There's as much proof for that feature that we just made up as there is for anything else, and that will be the case until the game is released.

[Thanks, P]

JoystiqGran Turismo 5 includes track editor, weather and go-karts originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Gran-TurismoGran-Turismo-5playstationPolyphony-Digitalps3RacingShuhei-YoshidaMon, 21 Jun 2010 19:20:00 EST<![CDATA[God of War II could have been a PS3 launch game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/26/god-of-war-2-could-have-been-a-ps3-launch-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/26/god-of-war-2-could-have-been-a-ps3-launch-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/26/god-of-war-2-could-have-been-a-ps3-launch-game/#comments God of War II was almost a PS3 game (at least, before it did become a PS3 game). In an interview with Game Informer, Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida remembered the internal debate over whether to release God of War II as one of the last big games for PS2 or as a headline title for the PS3 launch. "Many people, including marketing, suggested that maybe it should be moved to PS3," Yoshida recalled. Certainly, God of War II would've bolstered an exclusive launch lineup that was limited to Resistance: Fall of Man and very little else.

"We had a lot of debates about it, actually. I always firmly stood by keeping it on PS2," Yoshida continued, noting that "the end of a platform is when you see really great games, after developers really begin to understand the hardware."

Yoshida's "gamble" paid off, both critically and financially. If God of War II had been a PS3 launch title, more systems would probably have been pushed at launch, but software sales would've undoubtedly suffered compared to the game's success as a PS2 title. Besides, PS3 owners weren't excluded from the action! Back then, PS3s used to have this magical "backwards compatibility" thingy.

JoystiqGod of War II could have been a PS3 launch game originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>god-of-wargod-of-war-2god-of-war-iishuhei-yoshidaTue, 26 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony's Japan Studio urged to create more PS3 games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/02/sonys-japan-studio-urged-to-create-more-ps3-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/02/sonys-japan-studio-urged-to-create-more-ps3-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/02/sonys-japan-studio-urged-to-create-more-ps3-games/#comments
Japan Studios has had little impact on the PlayStation software library this generation. The platform's greatest hits so far have, instead, come from America and Europe. Titles like Uncharted, Killzone, LittleBigPlanet, Ratchet & Clank, Resistance, God of War, and WipEout all come from various studios at SCEA and SCEE. But what has Japan Studio created thus far? Siren, Trash Panic, and The Eye of Judgment -- noteworthy games perhaps, but hardly a collection of system-selling blockbusters.

Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida explained to Gamasutra that "their focus was shifted onto the PSP, which reflects the success of the PSP as a platform in Japan ... It's completely opposite of the way how US and European teams moved onto working on the PS3 and we see the fruits of those efforts, while Japan studios shifted their focus onto the PSP." Of course, handheld owners have much to be thankful for: system-defining hits like Patapon and LocoRoco were created out of Japan Studio's dedication to the platform.

However, the next year (and beyond) should be very different for Sony's Japanese developers. With The Last Guardian and Gran Turismo 5 coming from Sony's other Japanese studios, the pressure is on for other developers to follow suit. "We are now re-energizing teams and coming up with new ideas for PS3 development," Yoshida said. "We'll be able to show fruits of this work sometime next year."

JoystiqSony's Japan Studio urged to create more PS3 games originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>japanjapan-studioplaystationscejshuhei-yoshidasonySony-Computer-Entertainment-JapanMon, 02 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony considered second analog nub for PSP Go]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/sony-considered-second-analog-nub-for-psp-go/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/sony-considered-second-analog-nub-for-psp-go/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/sony-considered-second-analog-nub-for-psp-go/#comments
Like most PSP owners, we've definitely had our fair share of, "Why isn't there a second analog stick on here?" moments, fiddling in the air with our thumb for the phantom nub. And Sony knows that we want it, according to the most recent issue of Game Informer where Sony exec Shuhei Yoshida confirmed that the company "had a very serious discussion" on the subject, but ultimately decided against it due to worries over splintering the market.

"The PSP Go is designed to be perfectly compatible with the PSP-3000 and all the games that released before that," Yoshida said. For him, it's not a question of improving future games' controls but keeping parity with previous PSP iterations. "We are talking about the mid-life cycle of this platform," he says. Considering the PSP launched in the US in March of 2005, it appears as though Sony is sticking to its 10-year life cycle plan for the handheld.

JoystiqSony considered second analog nub for PSP Go originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>game-informerpsp-3000psp-goshuhei-yoshidaWed, 22 Jul 2009 11:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony wants Xbox 360 to succeed in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/10/sony-wants-xbox-360-to-succeed-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/10/sony-wants-xbox-360-to-succeed-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/10/sony-wants-xbox-360-to-succeed-in-japan/#commentsFiled under: , ,


"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." - Ancient proverb.

Sony Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida said in an interview with GI.biz that he'd like the Xbox 360 to succeed in Japan for the sake of pushing HD gaming. Yoshida would like to see the PS3 and Xbox 360 be more successful in Japan and getting consumers moving beyond the Wii's dated technology.

Yoshida even goes on to compliment Microsoft's NXE and the Avatars, expressing that he prefers it over the Miis. Although it appears that the Wii will continue to dominate globally, Yoshida believes consumer acceptance of "this generation of gaming" would benefit both Sony and Microsoft.

JoystiqSony wants Xbox 360 to succeed in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftPS3shuhei-yoshidasonyXbox-360Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony's Yoshida admits Japan lagging in games technology]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/24/sonys-yoshida-admits-japan-lagging-in-games-technology/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/24/sonys-yoshida-admits-japan-lagging-in-games-technology/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/24/sonys-yoshida-admits-japan-lagging-in-games-technology/#commentsFiled under:


The current generation of consoles are more powerful than ever. However, it appears that many Japanese developers are struggling to get the most they can out of the hardware. The real innovators of games technology appear to be coming from non-Japanese studios, from America and Europe. SCE Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida admits the disparity of development between East and West. "The technology base has shifted from Japan to the US and Europe," he told videogaming247.

One of the main reasons why Japan has struggled in comparison with the rest of the world comes from the lack of manpower. Studios in other countries can top a hundred, but Japanese studios are still quite small. "That's not the case in Japan. Because they don't have a large base, like the movie industry; there aren't [a lot of people] in the high end of computer graphics. That's making the many great developers in Japan make slow progress."

That's not to say great games aren't coming from Japan, of course. Developers like Kojima Productions and Polyphony Digital have created some real graphics powerhouses on the PS3. Upcoming games from Capcom, like Resident Evil 5, and Square Enix look to push Japan's tech further.

[Thanks, nirolak!]

JoystiqSony's Yoshida admits Japan lagging in games technology originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>japanshuhei-yoshidayoshidaWed, 24 Sep 2008 14:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Yoshida interested in getting Wii consumers to stay with PS3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/yoshida-interested-in-getting-wii-consumers-to-stay-with-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/yoshida-interested-in-getting-wii-consumers-to-stay-with-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/yoshida-interested-in-getting-wii-consumers-to-stay-with-ps3/#commentsFiled under:


When Nintendo dominates the NPD charts month after month, it's unsurprising that competitors (like Sony) would want to follow suit. Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida notes that the Wii has been incredibly successful in capturing the casual gamer -- a demographic that used to be PS2's bread and butter. "[Social gaming] has been massive on PS2 as you know," he tells IGN UK. "Nintendo Wii's success is really helping that, as is the success of music games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero -- they're bringing in these people, creating the style of playing games with your parents, and that continues to be important for the success of the PS3 as well."

While Wii has been doing a great job of introducing gaming to a new audience, Yoshida is hoping that some of the Wii audience will learn to move on to other platforms, such as the PS3. "After they've played a Wii and played some of the games, some of those consumers might try something else. I'm really interested to try and convince those consumers to stay with us."

How will Yoshida be able to capture that audience? He points to the SIXAXIS as just a small part of the strategy: "[it's] really important to us to create a new experience. And that was what we've been doing with the EyeToy camera, the SingStar mic and the Buzz controller. We always look for a new way to give users interaction with games." As for a brand new "dedicated motion controller" ... well, "that's a possibility."

JoystiqYoshida interested in getting Wii consumers to stay with PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Sep 2008 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ps3shuhei-yoshidawiiFri, 12 Sep 2008 19:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony's Yoshida wants more third-party action on PSP]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/sonys-yoshida-wants-more-third-party-action-on-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/sonys-yoshida-wants-more-third-party-action-on-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/sonys-yoshida-wants-more-third-party-action-on-psp/#commentsFiled under: ,


Despite teasing "many more games that we haven't announced for next year," Sony's Head of Worldwide Studios, Shuhei Yoshida, has coveted third-party IPs, expressing a desire to see more of them winding up on the PlayStation Portable. "What we'd like to see more is for third parties also - there is so much great IP that they have," Yoshida told IGN.

The PSP has enjoyed brisk sales both in North America and Japan for quite some time now, but its lineup has failed to keep pace. It's "really, really disappointing and it's a lost opportunity for the third parties," notes Yoshida, suggesting that developers "look at what the PSP can do for their titles and the potential." Don't believe him? Just ask that Monster Hunter game.

JoystiqSony's Yoshida wants more third-party action on PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Moar-GamesMonster-HunterPSPShuhei-YoshidaSonyFri, 12 Sep 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Yoshida really, really disappointed by lack of third party support]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/yoshida-really-really-disappointed-by-lack-of-third-party-suppo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/yoshida-really-really-disappointed-by-lack-of-third-party-suppo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/yoshida-really-really-disappointed-by-lack-of-third-party-suppo/#commentsFiled under:

Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida recently lamented the state of PSP in an interview with IGN UK. He notes that third party support for Sony's handheld has been "really, really disappointing," calling the current sitation "a lost opportunity for the third parties." He's echoed this sentiment before.

"They should look at what the PSP can do for their titles and the potential for the business that their IP has," he says, pointing out Sony's first-party support of the handheld through titles like God of War, Resistance and Buzz!. Of course, Yoshida's job is to convince third party developers to support the platform. His strategy? "We have to show by examples. What's happening in Japan is interesting - because of the massive success of Monster Hunter, Japanese publishers realise, 'here's a resource'. Lots of people are playing PSP in groups of fours and when you go to Japan it's hard to find a train or a bar where you don't see some people playing a PSP. So other publishers in Japan are seeing these consumers, and thinking, 'Wow, we can make games for those consumers'."

JoystiqYoshida really, really disappointed by lack of third party support originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pspshuhei-yoshidaFri, 12 Sep 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Yoshida says PS3 hardware, cost, pricing 'coming together']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/09/yoshida-says-ps3-hardware-cost-pricing-coming-together/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/09/yoshida-says-ps3-hardware-cost-pricing-coming-together/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/09/yoshida-says-ps3-hardware-cost-pricing-coming-together/#commentsFiled under:

With head held high and a twinkle in his eye, president of SCE Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida continues to beat the drum of PlayStation positive thinking. "All the things are now coming together in terms of the right hardware, cost and pricing," said Yoshida to Videogaming247.

He refers, of course, to the increased hard disk space in the new PS3s which will retail for the same value of previous, lesser gig-happy SKUs. It's interesting to take note of his comment on "cost," which tells us that producing PS3 is becoming more cost-efficient ... possibly due to unpublicized hardware revision. As any head of a company would, Yoshida assures that this year is a strong year for PS3 and that 2009 will be just the same holding scores of new titles both announced and unannounced.

JoystiqYoshida says PS3 hardware, cost, pricing 'coming together' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>sceshuhei-yoshidaTue, 09 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony's Choice: EyePet beat out Eight Days]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/sonys-choice-eyepet-beat-out-eight-days/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/sonys-choice-eyepet-beat-out-eight-days/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/sonys-choice-eyepet-beat-out-eight-days/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It's harder to single out Nintendo for overlooking its "core audience" when you find out things like this. Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, Shuhei Yoshida, Sony's head of worldwide studios, revealed that the company chose to fund development of a desktop toy virtual pet - EyePet - over a promising core audience action title, Eight Days.

When asked about the effect that canceling London Studio projects The Getaway 3 and Eight Days had on other titles, Yoshida responded, "There are so many things that we want to do, more than we can do with the resources. So when London Studio was looking at the early work on EyePet and the prototype of Eight Days, they knew they couldn't do all of them." So ... EyePet it was.

Granted, we don't know with any certainty that Eight Days was going to be any good, but an original action IP on a still very core audience console would seem like something worth investing more time in over a ... virtual pet.

Yohshida also said regarding the London Studio, "There are even more things they're working on at early concept stage." Tip for the staff there: If you don't want your big games canned, don't mention your "pet" projects to Shuhei the next time he pops in for a visit.

JoystiqSony's Choice: EyePet beat out Eight Days originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eight-dayseyepetlondon-studioPS3scee-london-studioshuhei-yoshidaThu, 28 Aug 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Team ICO's next game may be shown soon]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/team-icos-next-game-may-be-shown-soon/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/team-icos-next-game-may-be-shown-soon/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/team-icos-next-game-may-be-shown-soon/#commentsFiled under:


It's been a long time coming, but VG247 quotes Sony Worldwide Studio head Shuhei Yoshida as saying Team ICO's next project may be revealed "soon." The anticipated next project by the team behind Shadow of the Colossus and Ico has merely been teased with some nondescript screenshots.

Yoshida tells the site that plans for the Tokyo Game Show have not been finalized -- presumably, the show would be the last major opportunity this year to reveal the project. It's about time this game made its public appearance, don't you think?

JoystiqTeam ICO's next game may be shown soon originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fumito-uedaicoPS3shadow-of-the-colossusshuhei-yoshidateam-icoThu, 28 Aug 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony looking for more online partnerships to provide gamers free content]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/sony-looking-for-more-online-partnerships-to-provide-gamers-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/sony-looking-for-more-online-partnerships-to-provide-gamers-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/sony-looking-for-more-online-partnerships-to-provide-gamers-free/#commentsFiled under:


One of the big differentiating factors between Xbox LIVE and PLAYSTATION Network is the cost. PSN has tried to stand out as the better value, by offering free online gameplay. The Network is trying to expand to other free services, such as Home and the Euro-exclusive VidZone, which offers streaming music videos for free.

Of course, that's not the end to Sony's ambitious plans. Shuhei Yoshida explains to GI.biz that Sony alone cannot manage all the experiences it wants to provide. "We can't support all the needs of the consumer," Yoshida admits. However, "there are great companies providing services on the PC already - so we're very open to provide the opportunity to those companies to reach our user base as well."

Once again, it looks like unique advertising relationships must be established. By offering advertisers a unique platform to highlight their goods, players will be able to enjoy an expansive lineup of services for free. "We like to provide as many services as possible for free - we already provide our network access for gameplay for free - and the interesting thing about the network side and the Internet business is that there's a variety of revenue sources," he said. "Not necessarily getting people to pay, but with advertising and so on."

JoystiqSony looking for more online partnerships to provide gamers free content originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisingpsnshuhei-yoshidaThu, 28 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EyePet benefited from Eight Days and Getaway cancellations]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/eyepet-benefited-from-eight-days-and-getaway-cancellations/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/eyepet-benefited-from-eight-days-and-getaway-cancellations/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/eyepet-benefited-from-eight-days-and-getaway-cancellations/#commentsFiled under:


The adorable debut of EyePet at Leipzig Games Convention was quite possibly the biggest surprise of the show. The innovative use of the PlayStation Eye, coupled with one of fthe most adorable creature designs in recent memory, made it one of the most high-profile titles we showcased on our site during the Convention. Although it's still not planned for a release late next year, it benefited from the controversial cancellations of other SCEE games, such as Eight Days and The Getaway.

"Yes, there are so many things that we want to do, more than we can do with the resources. So when London Studio was looking at the early work on EyePet and the prototype of Eight Days, they knew they couldn't do all of them - and there are even more things they're working on at early concept stage," Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida told GI.biz. "So your expertise and ideas are best spent on some titles rather than others."

London Studios is arguably best known for their work on SingStar and other PS2/PS3 Eye games. Their experience in casual games developent will undoubtedly help EyePet. "London Studio is really best-placed for showing how these things can be done, because they've worked on games in that space for many years - they know how consumers are going to react, how to make it accessible and fun."

JoystiqEyePet benefited from Eight Days and Getaway cancellations originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eight-dayseyepetgetawaylondon-studiosshuhei-yoshidathe-getawayThu, 28 Aug 2008 10:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Obvious: Next Team Ico game will be 'really, really good']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/04/obvious-next-team-ico-game-will-be-really-really-good/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/04/obvious-next-team-ico-game-will-be-really-really-good/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/04/obvious-next-team-ico-game-will-be-really-really-good/#commentsFiled under:


We could have told you that, you know. If you don't trust our word, however, how about the one from Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida? He would know, wouldn't he? Allegedly talking to Official PlayStation Magazine (August issue cited on NeoGAF), Yoshida refers to the team that built ICO and Shadow of the Colossus as the "Olympic Team." Why? Well, because it takes 'em four years to finish a game.

"They haven't released a PS3 title yet - of course not - they'll take four years!" explains Yoshida. "But they have something really, really good on the way." Is it too early to dole out 2009's Game of the Year Award?

[Via Eurogamer]

JoystiqObvious: Next Team Ico game will be 'really, really good' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Aug 2008 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ICOPS3Shadow-of-the-ColossusShuhei-YoshidaSonyMon, 04 Aug 2008 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New Team ICO game impresses Shuhei Yoshida]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/04/new-team-ico-game-impresses-shuhei-yoshida/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/04/new-team-ico-game-impresses-shuhei-yoshida/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/04/new-team-ico-game-impresses-shuhei-yoshida/#commentsFiled under:

While there's no real news regarding Fumito Ueda and Team ICO's new game, Shuhei Yoshida made a few comments on it in a recent interview with the Official PlayStation Magazine UK. First off, yes, they are working on a game (this has only been confirmed from one arbitrary, assumed screenshot on their official site), but it's going to be a while until we see anything.

Yoshida started work on ICO before moving to the United States, so he's seen how Ueda works -- uncompromising was the word used. Four years is the general time to wait for each game, Yoshida concludes, but this game will be worth it because "they have something really, really good on the way." We look forward to hearing more!

JoystiqNew Team ICO game impresses Shuhei Yoshida originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fumito-uedashuhei-yoshidateam-icoMon, 04 Aug 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony exec admits 'we haven't done enough with third parties' for PS1 downloads]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/sony-exec-admits-we-havent-done-enough-with-third-parties-for/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/sony-exec-admits-we-havent-done-enough-with-third-parties-for/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/sony-exec-admits-we-havent-done-enough-with-third-parties-for/#commentsFiled under:


Where are all the PS1 games? We chatted with SCE Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida about the lack of PS1 downloadable titles in America, and he admitted it frankly: "I'd like to see more games on that as well ... we haven't done enough with third party publishers."

In Japan, companies like Square Enix and Konami have supported the PSN by re-releasing treasured PS1 classics onto the PS Store. However, the rest of the world's catalog has been quite lacking. Yoshida explained that these digital downloads don't offer much profit, calling the potential monies "insignificant." He also noted that there are many issues involving licensing, especially with the music found in older games. That usually adds to the difficulty of bringing back PS1 games.

While lamenting the lack of PS1 support on the PSN, he did ask us a favor: "Maybe if you can convince the third parties."

[Image Source]

JoystiqSony exec admits 'we haven't done enough with third parties' for PS1 downloads originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jul 2008 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ps1psnpspshuhei-yoshidaThu, 17 Jul 2008 04:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony exec admits 'we haven't done enough with third parties' for PS1 downloads]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/sony-exec-admits-we-havent-done-enough-with-third-parties-for/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/sony-exec-admits-we-havent-done-enough-with-third-parties-for/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/sony-exec-admits-we-havent-done-enough-with-third-parties-for/#commentsFiled under: ,


Where are all the PS1 games? We chatted with SCE Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida about the lack of PS1 downloadable titles in America, and he admitted it frankly: "I'd like to see more games on that as well ... we haven't done enough with third party publishers."

In Japan, companies like Square Enix and Konami have supported the PSN by re-releasing treasured PS1 classics onto the PS Store. However, the rest of the world's catalog has been quite lacking. Yoshida explained that these digital downloads don't offer much profit, calling the potential monies "insignificant." He also noted that there are many issues involving licensing, especially with the music found in older games. That usually adds to the difficulty of bringing back PS1 games.

While lamenting the lack of PS1 support on the PSN, he did ask us a favor: "Maybe if you can convince the third parties."

[Image Source]

JoystiqSony exec admits 'we haven't done enough with third parties' for PS1 downloads originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jul 2008 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ps1psnshuhei-yoshidaThu, 17 Jul 2008 04:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Shuhei Yoshida: PSN expansion to PSP is planned]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/shuhei-yoshida-psn-expansion-to-psp-is-planned/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/shuhei-yoshida-psn-expansion-to-psp-is-planned/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/shuhei-yoshida-psn-expansion-to-psp-is-planned/#commentsFiled under:


Joystiq and PS Fanboy interviewed Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida about a number of hot topics earlier this week. However, one of the big talking points had to be the expansion of the PLAYSTATION Network beyond the PS3. Currently, home console owners can sign in using a single PSN ID, and can access a Friends list, send messages to friends, and play games together online.

During the E3 keynote, Sony briefly noted that they wanted to expand the PSN's "universal ID," and we asked Yoshida if that expansion could hit the PSP. We asked if using the same PSN ID from the PS3 can access a universal Friends list on the PSP. His response? "That's the plan."

Already, implementing the PLAYSTATION Store directly on the PSP is in the works. It won't be too long before we see even more features of the PS3 popping up on the PSP: Friends lists, messaging and who knows what else ... trophies, perhaps? Stay tuned in the coming days for the full itnerview.

JoystiqShuhei Yoshida: PSN expansion to PSP is planned originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e308playstation-networkpsnpspshuhei-yoshidaThu, 17 Jul 2008 02:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Rat Race is canceled]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/rat-race-is-canceled/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/rat-race-is-canceled/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/rat-race-is-canceled/#commentsFiled under:

We teamed up with Joystiq's Chris Grant in a lengthy interview with Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida (full interview to come later in the week). One of the random details we stumbled upon was the fate of the long-forgotten PSN episodic title, Rat Race. He admitted earnestly: "So, yeah, we stopped it. We really liked the concept; it's like The Office TV series. It was kind of funny but we were not quite happy with how the game was turning out and there was some difficulty in development."

Remember the first footage of the game? Well, it wasn't too inspiring. Honestly, this isn't one we're going to regret losing.

JoystiqRat Race is canceled originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e308rat-raceshuhei-yoshidaWed, 16 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EST