A future dominated by game services will be ‘boring’, says PlayStation’s Shuhei Yoshida

In a new interview with guardian, Live PlayStation legend Shuhei Yoshida talks about the importance of creative diversity in games. At 59, the Japanese veteran has seen it through to the life of Sony’s gaming brand, but still finds himself saying that “the games industry will never be a fun place”.

Yoshida, whose official title is head of the Independent Developer Initiative at Sony, is particularly known for his enthusiastic approach to independent game development, and he credits Journey for the current landscape — at least in part. “when [Journey] With all of its Game-of-the-Year awards – not just Best Indie Game, but Best Game – up against all these AAA titles, it started something. […] Such was the effect it had on the people who played. You can finish it in four hours but it’s about life and death, and people who have lost family or close friends can reflect on the things they experienced while playing. I’m very lucky to be associated with it.”

Throughout the interview, Yoshida’s appreciation for creativity is evident. Finally, he touches on the future of gaming in general: “The industry continues to grow and grow, and I hope it continues to support and pursue creative ideas and people who try to work on new things. do.”

But what does Yoshida think about the wider industry, and the reach of the big publishers? He doesn’t go into too much detail, but this closing quote sums things up pretty well: “You don’t want to see the top 10 games being nearly the same every year, all games becoming service games… It will A bit boring, for me.”

Of course, it’s worth mentioning that PlayStation has several live service projects in the works right now. And while we seriously doubt Yoshida’s taking a deep dig, it’s clear he doesn’t want every studio to go down the same road — and we’re certainly willing to agree.

Do you find yourself agreeing with Yoshida? How important do you think diversity is in today’s industry? Check out Beyond AAA in the comments section below.