PlayStation veteran Shuhei Yoshida leaves Sony after 31 years

We're keeping our fingers crossed this 60-year-old legend will remain in the industry in at least some capacity.

PlayStation is turning 30, which is of course a remarkable age in the gaming world. But the fact is that Sony veteran Shuhei Yoshida has been around even longer, and for 31 years Sony has been his employer. Now, however, he has announced that it's time to move on, and on January 15 he'll be saying goodbye.

Yoshida is currently head of independent developer initiative, working extensively on indie games, and he was previously president of SIE Worldwide Studios, a role he held for over a decade (until 2019), helping to secure and launch Sony's successful games during this era.

Yoshida has been a significant figure in the gaming industry and is universally liked both internally and among Sony's partners (and competitors), and he is also a fan favourite, always bringing a positive attitude and taking the time to answer questions on social media.

Via Playstation Blog, Yoshida said:

"I've been with PlayStation from the beginning, and this is my 31st year with PlayStation. And when I hit 30 years, I was thinking, hmm, it may be about time for me to move on.

You know, the company's been doing great. I love PS5, I love the games that are coming out on this platform. And we have new generations of management who I respect and admire. And I'm so excited for the future of PlayStation."

We wish Yoshida the best of luck in whatever he does next, and thank him for his tremendous and long-lasting work in the industry.