In a nutshell

• Shuhei Yoshida says Jim Ryan fired him from PlayStation Studios in 2019 for “not listening.”
• Yoshida transitioned to Head of PlayStation Indies, promoting indie developers until 2025.
• He now runs his own indie consulting firm, Yosp Inc., continuing his passion for indie games.

Shuhei Yoshida was a beloved figure in the PlayStation community, and when he left Sony back in 2025, many wondered who would take over the great work he had done and the lovable personality he had.

Recently, more information was revealed about why he was moved to head PlayStation Indies from PlayStation Studios.

Why Shuhei Yoshida Was Fired

A report from This Week in Videogames says that during the ALT: GAMES festival in Australia, Shuhei Yoshida revealed that he was removed from his role as President of Sony Worldwide Studios in 2019 by then‑CEO Jim Ryan. Yoshida explained that Ryan asked him to do “ridiculous things,” but he refused, leading to his dismissal from the position after 11 years of leading PlayStation’s first‑party development.

I helped Santa Monica to make God of War, Naughty Dog to make Uncharted and The Last of Us, and Sucker Punch to make the beautiful Ghost of Tsushima. Ghost of Tsushima was one of the last games that I worked on as the president of Worldwide Studios. But in 2019, after 11 years leading the first-party development, I was fired from the role. Jim Ryan wanted to remove me from first-party because I didn’t listen to him. He asked to do some ridiculous things, and I said ‘No’.

Transition to PlayStation Indies

Despite the shake‑up, Ryan offered Yoshida a new role as Head of PlayStation Indies, recognizing his passion for independent games. Yoshida embraced the position, championing titles like Journey, Dead Cells, Cult of the Lamb, and Fall Guys. He became a vocal advocate for indie creators, helping them gain visibility on PlayStation platforms.

Life After PlayStation

After 31 years at Sony, Yoshida left in January 2025 to establish his own consulting firm, Yosp Inc., dedicated to supporting indie developers across platforms. He now enjoys the freedom to collaborate with Nintendo, Xbox, and Steam, continuing his mission to nurture indie talent worldwide.