Shuhei Yoshida, former president ofSIE Worldwide Studios, has revealed PlayStation’s view on its competitors—Xbox and Nintendo—in today’s gaming industry.
A Shifting Industry Landscape
The video game industry is evolving, and its key players are inevitably affected. Xbox has shifted toward a multiplatform strategy, bolstered by its partnership with AMD to expand to virtually every device. PlayStation, meanwhile, has taken a more conservative stance.
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Nintendo recently launched its new console, theNintendo Switch 2, embracing a strategy more reliant on third-party support, while continuing to focus on its own first-party titles and technological innovation.
What does Shuhei Yoshida Think?
The former SIE Worldwide Studios president warns about the risks of subscription services and downplays concerns about rising game prices.
In the latest episode of theKit & Krystapodcast on YouTube, Yoshida reflects on the long-standing rivalry between PlayStation and Xbox, which began in 2001 with the competition between the PS2 and the original Xbox.
According to Yoshida, Sony still sees Xbox (or Microsoft) as its main competitor, despite Xbox games now launching on PlayStation platforms—Senua’s Saga: Hellblade IIbeing the next example.
Nintendo Is Not Even in the Equation
In contrast,Nintendo doesn’t even show up in Sony’s business reports or competitive analyses, as Sony views the Kyoto-based company as being in a completely different category. Yoshida confirms this during the interview.
Shuhei Yoshida puts it plainly:Sony believes Xbox is its only competition in the industry. That’s the sentiment he’s experienced over the years at the company, and he says it remains unchanged. Even if Xbox games appear on PlayStation now, Sony’s stance hasn’t shifted.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X|S are technically very similar and share the vast majority of their game libraries. That’s been the case since the PS3 and Xbox 360 days.
“Their competition is always Xbox. They see Microsoft as their rival because Xbox offers similarly powerful hardware—basically a high-end console with games for mature audiences.”
Nintendo’s Market Is Seen as Separate
While Sony and Microsoft focus on more adult-oriented content,Yoshida says PlayStation sees Nintendo as part of a separate market—one that caters to kids, adults, and older generations alike.
In fact, Yoshida confirms thatNintendo is absent from Sony’s internal business analysis reports, whereas Xbox is clearly marked as the target.
“Nintendo is very different. Family-friendly, games for everyone. It’s not about technology—it’s about fun with friends and family… So even inside Sony, when they do business reviews, Nintendo doesn’t even show up.”
That’s the view from a former executive like Shuhei Yoshida. Meanwhile,Hideaki Nishino, the current CEO of PlayStation, believescompetition is always healthy, especially amid rumors that Xbox may exit the console market.
Regarding Nintendo, Sony has reacted positively to the launch of theSwitch 2, stating they’re not afraid of the hybrid console’s success. ThePS5 offers different experiences and a robust game library, not to mention the rumored portable console expected to accompany the PS6.
