Shuhei Yoshida, former head of Sony Interactive Entertainment's Worldwide Studios, recently recounted 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 potential loss of early adopters who might opt for the immediate next-gen experience on Xbox posed a significant threat.

However, Yoshida identified Nintendo's announcement of Monster Hunter 4 as a 3DS exclusive as an even greater shock. This was particularly impactful given the immense success of the Monster Hunter franchise on the PlayStation Portable, where it boasted two exclusive titles. Yoshida was completely unaware of Nintendo's acquisition of the new game. To compound the situation, Nintendo simultaneously slashed the 3DS price by $100, 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 explained. "I was stunned. 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 retired from Sony in January after over three decades, his departure allowing him to share previously undisclosed insights into his career. He has since offered opinions on Sony's live service strategy and the lack of a Bloodborne remake or sequel.