Former PlayStation studio head Shuhei Yoshida says Japan cannot keep up with Chinese studios

The former head of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios, Shuhei Yoshida, has said that Japanese game developers are unable to keep pace with their Chinese counterparts.

Speaking to 4Gamer – translated by Automaton – the ex-PlayStation executive said that Chinese studios such as Genshin Impact maker MiHoYo develop games at a much faster pace, with staff often working long hours in the office.

“The development speed in China is amazing [and] they’re also quick at changing personnel, and all of the game development work itself unfolds rapidly,” Yoshida explained.

“Back when I talked to representatives of MiHoYo, we discussed how it would be quite difficult for Japanese developers to make games in the same way MiHoYo does. Not to mention the legal problems that would come with it.

“I wonder if there are some aspects [of the development process] that Japanese game developers just can’t replicate. One reason why games in China are so strong is because they are made in an environment which allows for hiring a large number of personnel who can work long hours.

“Of course, you never know what might happen in the near future, but looking at the current state of things, I think that’s the biggest factor.”

MiHoYo has seen massive success with its suite of titles. Genshin Impact has made well over $5 billion in revenue on mobile, reaching this milestone faster than any other title. Meanwhile, free-to-play action RPG Zenless Zone Zero was downloaded 50 million times worldwide within the first few days of release.

The 996.ICU movement started in 2019 to push back against long working hours in Chinese workplaces – 996 refers to 9am until 9pm, 6 days a week. The movement cites Chinese employment regulations that say labourers should not work for more than eight hours a day, and it keeps a list of companies that use 996 practices.

Shuhei Yoshida retired from PlayStation in January, and recently spoke to GamesIndustry.biz about his memories of the launch of the original PlayStation, as well as the Super NES CD-ROM add-on from which it evolved.