Shuhei Yoshida, former head of Sony Interactive Entertainment's Worldwide Studios, recounts two particularly daunting moments in his extensive PlayStation career, both orchestrated by competitors Nintendo and Xbox.

In a MinnMax interview, Yoshida described the Xbox 360's launch a year ahead of the PlayStation 3 as "very, very scary." The prospect of potential buyers opting for the early Xbox 360, leaving PlayStation 3 adopters significantly behind in experiencing next-gen gaming, presented a considerable challenge.

However, Yoshida pinpointed Nintendo's announcement of Monster Hunter 4 as a 3DS exclusive as the "biggest shock" he experienced. This was particularly jarring given Monster Hunter's immense success on the PlayStation Portable, where it boasted two exclusive titles. The surprise was compounded by Nintendo's simultaneous $100 price drop on the 3DS, undercutting the PlayStation Vita.

"After launch, both the Nintendo 3DS and Vita were priced at $250, but then they dropped the 3DS price by $100," Yoshida recalled. "I was shocked. And then they announced the biggest game... The biggest game on PSP was Monster Hunter, and it was going to be a Nintendo 3DS exclusive. That was a huge blow."

Yoshida's retirement in January, after over three decades with Sony, has allowed him to share previously undisclosed insights into his time at the company, where he became a highly recognizable and well-loved figure within the PlayStation community. He's since shared opinions on Sony's live service strategy and the lack of a Bloodborne remake or sequel.