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PlayStation Veteran Explains Why Sony Closed Japan Studio
Kotaku • • technology
Key Points:
- Shuhei Yoshida, former president of Sony Interactive Entertainment, revealed that Japan Studio was closed because it couldn’t produce large-scale PlayStation 5 hardware-selling games like "God of War" and "Uncharted."
- Despite Japan Studio’s legacy of creative and beloved games such as Ape Escape, Shadow of the Colossus, and Ico, Sony shifted focus toward AAA titles to drive hardware sales, making it difficult for Japan Studio’s smaller-scale projects to fit the new strategy.
- After Japan Studio’s closure in April 2021, most of its team was let go, with key creatives leaving prior to the merger of Japan Studio into Team Asobi, contradicting Sony’s statement that the studio was simply reorganized.
- Critics note that Sony’s focus on big-budget system sellers has resulted in fewer new games and a reliance on live-service titles that have not resonated with players, raising questions about the company’s strategy moving forward, especially with the upcoming PlayStation 6.
