Shuhei Yoshida was "blown away" by FFVII & Shenmue reveals at E3

GR-UK writes: Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida has admitted that he didn't know that Shenmue 3 and Final Fantasy VII: Remake would be announced on stage at E3 alongside the reintroduction of The Last Guardian until the rehearsal for Sony's press conference.

Speaking with Gamereactor in an interview that will be published in full tomorrow, Yoshida-san explained how he was "blown away" by the respective reveals from Square-Enix and Suzuki-san at this year's show.

"We'd been working hard for The Last Guardian, and we were very excited to bring it back to the public, but I didn't know about the other two actually," the Sony chief confessed.

[nidhogg]

If "blown away" was looking at a game with no probable release date and another being funded on Kickstarter with no assurance of exclusivity.

[Majin-vegeta]

Yet one of those made the biggest rumble at E3 and across the world...

[xHeavYx]

I'm not trying to offend anyone, but I think that mostly young gamers (especially the COD generation) don't understand the significance of games like FF7 and Shenmue.
These games were the Uncharted and Halo back in the day, which is why people at E3 (where most people were at least 27-28 and older) went crazy with the news.

[nX]

Especially the FF7 remake is one of the biggest announcements gaming has seen in years.

[mikeslemonade]

People who downplay FF7 and Shenmue 3 just don't see the impact they will have on the industry.

This was as if Michael Jordan and Larry Bird were to sign and play to play a 10 game contract today.

[Rookie_Monster]

Yup...but it would be upgraded to megaton status if both of those games were to be PS4 exclusives. But the fact that both will appear on other system as well really lowered the impact it had.

I do agreed that both games are classics and I will be buying them when the time comes. It had been a long time coming..especially shenmue 3.

[star_lancer]

I don't get the FF7 hype. It sold around 10 million copies on the PS1, which is 10% of the user base for that console. Plus, PS1 games have been playable on PS2 and PS3 for the past 15 years. It's not like it's been out of circulation.

If it had sold 30+ million, then I might understand. But what's so special about a game that 90% of people didn't buy in the first place? What kind of impact will a remake of a game that only 10% of people bought have on the industry?

Hardly seems worthy of "Michael Jordan meets Larry Bird" hype.

[nix]

lancer..

that's like any big game. they sell only around 10-20% not everyone buys the most coveted games, you know.

OT: i was so happy for the gamers who've been waiting for this remake to happen... i spent so many hours watching live reactions to people watching the E3 live. i shed a tear or two too...

[dumahim]

It sold 10 million as of 2010. Who knows what the numbers are now after all the ports and re-releases.

[morganfell]

"...another being funded on Kickstarter with no assurance of exclusivity."

Well Shuhei is a gamer and when you are a gamer getting it out matters more than getting it out as an exclusive. He would rather help get the game off the ground, even if it is multiplat, than have it languish as a treasured and much wanted idea that never comes to fruition. Real gamers understand this.

[miyamoto]

@ star lancer

Do yourself a favor and try not to understand FF VII, please.
The truth about it can only be seen without the blinders on.

You have no idea what kind of gamers keep the PlayStation brand a cut above the rest.

[MrDead]

@nidhogg

So he's not allowed to be blown away by knowing two of the most anticipated games of all time are being made, unless they are exclusive or have a release date?

You do know that Shuhei is a big gamer and this news is as exciting to him as it is to all of us that have wanted these games?

[morganfell]

His appearance on stage after The Last Guardian was a wonderful and familiar moment. Here was a gamer sharing with the entire world his excitement over a title he can't wait to play.

He would be a blast to hang out with and get into trouble.

His showing here at the 4:05 mark eating habanero peppers is a riot: https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[MrDead]

@morganfell

Thanks for linking that, Shuhei's face is priceless.

I thought he was going to hold out for a moment there, I like that they held the milk back until they gave them a release date.

It's good to have a gaming freak like Shuhei in charge.

[rainslacker]

Shu is always fun to watch. He's like a kid when he talks about games.:)

Thanks for the link. Love how easy going he is with others.

[MCTJim]

I am looking forward to these games myself, but I agree with you..I was hyped and then let down..why? because they are not even close to being completed or released anytime within the next 2 years. Maybe FFVII will make a release date before then...

[nidhogg]

Finally someone around here who agrees with me. We may be downvoted because our of our way of thinking but that's life. I AM excited. I WANT FFVII. But that doesn't mean I HAVE TO BE BLIND by the negative and foreboding nature of the development cycle of these announced games.

[Ravenheartzero]

People have been waiting God knows how many years for this, you think most of them really care they have to wait a little longer? No one saw this coming. I saw a rumour on n4g I believe the day before about it possibly being announced and completely dismissed it, just said to myself no that's not happening. I'm happy it's announced and happy to wait. Same for FF15 and KH3. Rather know they are happening and wait than not know.

[SmokingMonkey]

Isn't it kind of obvious they want FF7r to come out in 2017 for the 20th Anniversary?

Announcing GAMES in the current gen for the current gen is not a bad thing, they are teasers, AAA games need a long time to gain hype/preorders.

Mentioning your NeXt CONSOLE in the middle of your current gen is a very bad idea.

[DangerousDAN]

It's not about the release date, it's about the feeling of security that the games are being made and that the speculations have ended after years.

So now sit back and relax and have some patience. They're being made and that's all we needed to know for now.

[rainslacker]

So many people act like no one gets excited for games that might be a couple years away. Heck, most of last gen, and this gen, was games being announced 2-3 years away, and that didn't diminish the excitement for them. I mean almost every game coming out this holiday was announced over a year or two ago, yet people are still excited for them...unless it's from Ubisoft.

Sure, I prefer there be less time between announcement and release, but these two games are worth getting excited over.

They may not live up to the hype, or excitement people have for them, but at least we know they are being made so we don't have to sit through the constant lists of most requested remakes/sequels comments anymore, because all that's left is Half-Life 3, Panzer Dragoon, Suikoden, and some other niche games which have a pretty dedicated fan base.

[Spotie]

I suppose the next entry in almost yearly franchises, or the ability to play old games on your new hardware blew you away instead?

Sorry, but titles with legendary status being announced is a HUGE deal to most people who have been gaming for more than one generation.

[nidhogg]

I'm sorry but you may be assuming I'm an Xbox or Nintendo fan. My only and ever will game systems will be Sony. You can even tell that on my comment history. I respect your sentiment. My comment is not a troll statement or a stealth troll at that. I just don't like the current practice. The fact that they build up the hype but with a catch. Of course I may be cynical in a way but I also have the right to be cautious. That said, yes, I want to play FFVII. I want to play Shenmue 3. I just don't like the fact that we are BEING PLAYED AT.

[star_lancer]

What titles have "legendary" status? Shenmue is a cult classic that sold 1 million on Dreamcast and around half a million on Xbox. Sega fans are clamoring for a sequel to Shenmue in the same way they want a true update to "Streets of Rage" or "Skies of Arcadia". Cult popularity, however, doesn't equate to legendary status.

FF7 may be close to legendary, but the fact that only 10% of PS1 owners originally bought it lessens the impact.

This is simply another in a LONG line of Playstation fans overhyping games simply so they can claim "victory".

[gangsta_red]

"Cult popularity, however, doesn't equate to legendary status."

+ bubbs star_lancer, at least someone gets it.

Amazing that Spotie here can add on words like "legendary" and "HUGE" to games that a niche crowd may like but then turn around and say BC isn't a game changer, especially when BC has been asked for by people who have been gaming for more than one generation.

[Spotie]

Sorry. Not even gonna argue this with you people. As much as you want to spin things however you want in order to make your asinine claims, reality is different.

In reality, these games ARE legendary. No amount of fanboyism or twisting will change that.

Thanks.

[star_lancer]

@spotie

You're going to talk about the next entry in yearly releases? How many Final Fantasy games have been released in the past few years? There's at least one per year.

PS4 has been out for less than two years, and it already has two FF games. It's no different than the yearly franchises you complain about on Xbox One.

Sorry, but only fanboyism makes those games legendary.

You're welcome.

[rainslacker]

Shenmue became legendary due to it's status in limbo for so long, and the fact it ended on a cliffhanger, and the fact it sold 1 million copies on the DC despite the install base being extremely limited, and the fact it's from one of the most legendary game developers in the industry who saw it as his magnum opus, and has tried in vain to get it finished over the past decade or so.

FF7 is the very definition of a legendary game. How you can try to downplay it's status is beyond me. It is the game which brought JRPG's into the mainstream. Almost every JRPG of the generation, and into the next generation emulated what it did.

If FF7 isn't a legendary game, I don't really know what you consider legendary. About the only things left would be the original Mario and Zelda games...which are about the only games I can think of that sold to a significant portion of their consoles install base.

I mean, I guess we can say that the original Halo or Gears of War weren't legendary, despite being defining games of their console/generation because they too didn't sell to more than 10% of the install base. Things like Crash Bandicoot or Metroid, TLOU, MGS, Pac-Man, Mega-Man, or Sonic the Hedgehog 2 also aren't legendary because they didn't sell to more than 10% of the install base.

If you can't see why these games mean so much to millions of gamers, regardless of sales, then why even bother commenting on them. Just move on and go enjoy games you enjoy.

[star_lancer]

How does "status in limbo" help make a game legendary? If that's the case, I guess Duke Nukem Forever & Agent (remember that one from 2009) meet part of your qualifications for a "legendary" game.

You guys are trying so hard to come up with a definition of "legendary", but each time you try it fails because there are numerous other far-from-legendary games that would also fit your categorizations.

Among the games you mentioned, only Pac-Man is legendary, and it I'm talking about the original arcade version. Actually, Sonic 1 had a nearly 20% attach rate on the Genesis. This includes bundles, but that means people bought the bundles to get Sonic.

Legendary console games are the ones that made people buy a system just to play it. Super Mario 64 had a nearly 50% attach rate. Halo 3 sold to nearly 20% of 360 owners. Actually, the percentage may be closer to 30% if you buy into the PS fanboy argument about tens of millions of defective 360's that MS supposedly counted as new sales.

[rainslacker]

It would appear that your definition of legendary is different than almost everyone else commenting on this thread.

Sonic 1 is legendary because it was bundled? Well you couldn't even get a Genesis without Sonic until a couple years into it's lifespan. Even then, they started including Sonic 2. That doesn't diminish it's legendary status, and it isn't legendary because of it's attach rate, but because it was an amazing game.

Same with all the other examples listed in the responses to you.

You say that none of them are legendary? New metroid and Zelda games are eagerly anticipated by millions(maybe not the most current metroid), because of how people feel about them. Even people that never played the games know them to be games worthy of respect, and that's because they're legendary.

Some games become legendary after the fact. Games like Shenmue for instance. It was a game well ahead of it's time, and after it's initial time on the store shelves, it gained cult status due to it always being talked about, and more and more people becoming interested in what it was, which eventually got them into the series...even if they never once played it.

FF7 itself was a bundled game, and when the bundle sold out, it continued to sell PS1's, so by your own definition, it is a game that many people picked up the system for.

Stop trying to make up your own definition of legendary. Common consensus goes against your own reasoning. Since when has the attach rate of a single game, or it's overall sales with any parameter attached to it, had anything to do with how well the game was received, or had anything to do with it's legendary status?

[star_lancer]

@rain

It would seem that nearly everyone here defines legendary as "appeared at a Sony press conference". This whole argument is mainly about bragging rights, and some people's twisted definitions of "E3 victory".

Call me a fanboy all you want, but getting back to my response to Spoties original comment (in which he downplays backwards compatibility), I'd be willing to bet that the number of people excited about BC on Xbox One would be roughly equal to (or greater than) the 10% of PS1 owners who cared about FF7 when it was originally available.

"Games like Shenmue for instance. It was a game well ahead of it's time, and after it's initial time on the store shelves, it gained cult status"

You are just proving what I initially said - these are CULT CLASSICS, not necessarily legendary games. There's a huge difference.

I'll concede, however, that some people love FF7 enough to consider it legendary. I guess my standards are just a bit higher than most when it comes to a definition of "legendary".

[maniacmayhem]

@Rain

"Shenmue became legendary due to it's status in limbo for so long, and the fact it ended on a cliffhanger,"

I'm sorry but I also fail to see how a game that initially failed in sales and has been in limbo for more than 10 years can be considered legendary.

Star_Lancer and Red are right it's mostly sony fans adding more fuel hype fire to games that only appeal to a niche crowd and not oddly enough are appearing on the PlayStation console.

You and Hicken are taking the term legendary and throwing it around very loosely.

"If you can't see why these games mean so much to millions of gamers, regardless of sales, then why even bother commenting on them."

Who said anything like this? I love this new found sense of forum entitlement that people can only comment on things they like. Hicken does the same thing, who are you guys to tell anyone that they can't comment on something?

How about you ignore the comments you don't like and just post comments on how great these games are and you just keep it movin.

You see how that works?

[rainslacker]

I recall sometime last year or the year before there was a rumor that Suzuki was spotted talking with MS. Can't remember if it was at E3, or he was seen at their campus, or what the details were.

I remember fondly how many Xbox fans were claiming how Shenmue would be awesome on the Xbox because number two was on the 360.

So yeah, I don't see it as a platform thing, I see it as a legendary game.

I listed legendary status games from multiple platforms and generations. All I see is some very bitter people trying to act like Shenmue isn't a big deal for lots of people.

If you don't consider them legendary that's fine. but stop acting like you somehow decide for lots of other people who do feel that way.

@Maniac

Star was implying that it wasn't legendary because apparently it doesn't mean something to a lot of people, and didn't sell well, so it doesn't fall into the legendary category.

I do post comments on how great the game is. I talk about the game, but if someone is going to try and downplay the status of the game, and disregard what lots of people think about it, then i'm going to call them out on it.

[Master-H]

As if exclusivity outright determines the quality of a game.

Release window being far or not, at least one of the most requested games by the fans IS being worked on. It exists, and it's coming and that's what matters.

Nice try at downplaying though.

[Chevalier]

Plenty of games have no release dates, doesn't mean you can't be excited. Scalebound, Phantom Dust, FF XV, KH 3, Deep Down, Quantum Break all have no release date, but, seem quite interesting.

[Spotie]

I fail to see how we're being played at in the slightest. These are nowhere near the first games to be revealed without release dates, and they'll be far from the last.

Why would these games indicate us being played at more than any others? It's a standard industry practice that tells us a game is being made- in this case, games we've been looking forward to for many years- that isn't at a point where a release date can be reliably set. You seem to think we're being conned or something, but I just don't see that.

[Chevalier]

@star_lancer

"If it had sold 30+ million, then I might understand. But what's so special about a game that 90% of people didn't buy in the first place? What kind of impact will a remake of a game that only 10% of people bought have on the industry? "

Wait by your logic almost every popular franchise is a failure then.

For example there are 160+ million console owners any by your reasoning for example each Assassins Creed game has sold 8-10 million. So factoring in 160+ million that's far below 10% so then Assassins Creed franchise is a failure?! Each Gears of War game sold around 6 million and there are 80 million sold Xbox 360's so under 10% so Gears of War franchise is a failure?!

Going by your 10% rule, Gran Turismo, Uncharted, Fables, The Last of Us, God of War, Elder Scrolls Skyrim, Fallout and Borderlands are all failures then. Why make more games in these franchises? They won't even come close to 10%.

[star_lancer]

I never said it was a failure. I said that 10% hardly qualifies it as worthy of the hype it's getting. People are making comments like "the internet blew up when it was announced". That's just ridiculous. Anyone with a PS1, PS2 or PS3 can play FF7 ANYTIME they want.

If a game disappeared for a while, or wasn't playable on newer hardware, then I could understand the hype, But that's simply not the case here.

FF7 is a good game, and I'm sure the remake will be good. That's about the extent of the hype it deserves.

[rainslacker]

@Star

What people are trying to point out to you is that sales do not equate to legendary status. A legendary video game is one that is greatly respected as a great game, and has the love of the people that did play it. They also have the mind of the fans to continue to care about the games long into the future after their initial release, and they also tend to be the games that don't get a lot of criticism outside of bitter obvious fan boys who want to downplay something for whatever reason.

There are valid criticisms that can be made, but other legendary games and series include Mega-Man, Zelda, Halo, GeOW, MGS, Original Tomb Raider, half-Life, God Of War, Sonic, Original Mario in different variations, Pokemon, Crash Bandicoot, metroid, Ratchet & Clank, UC, TLOU, Myst, Ys, and many more. Most of these didn't sell anywhere near more than 10% of their respective install base, yet that doesn't diminish their importance to millions of people.

Almost every single one of those games we could go back and play at any time, and the fact that we would want to and be content only gives credence to their legendary status.

I know you're a fan boy, but you can do better than this if you want to downplay these titles. Both the remake and the sequel have been part of most requested games of all time, usually occupying the top spots of any list, with Half-Life 3 being the only game that might win out over them.

But maybe you also think that Half-Life 3 wouldn't be a huge announcement, despite it not being the highest selling game and still being playable today.

FF7:R and Shenmue 3 are about as big of an announcement as if HL3 were also announced, and I doubt you can give sufficient reason as to why HL3 wouldn't be significant.

[remixx116]

Why do you guys care so much about if its a kick starter or not......why do you care so much that ff7 doesn't have a release date...

PlayStation fans are just happy it exists, stop looking for loop holes in which to cry......gears 4 didn't have a release date yet I'm sure you were happy about it...

I mean if they we'reto aannouncea socom 2 remake with no release date, PSfans would still lose their sh*t, but you guys would cry about something about it.

[Spid3r6]

Yes you know why Shuhei Yoshida was not aware along with Tetsuya Nomura the director that did not know was even directing Final Fantasy 7 remake, it was because Sony after seeing MS presentation scrambled to get this together that was probably not even ready until next E3 or Playstation experience. They probably had this just in case Microsoft would come out swinging and they did. So guess what the FFVII was not ready the last guardian a very last minute thing and Shemue 3 with a kickstarter Idea that was brought up right after the BC was announced from MS. Watch how all these pieces of the puzzle fit.

[Majin-vegeta]

Lol you think they were able to make all that in less than 8 hours??Lol thats the biggest load of crap I've ever heard

[rainslacker]

Typically when you use an "if" in a statement such as yours, you use a "then" to compare it to something not anywhere near as meaningful as the thing your comparing it to, or much more than the thing you're comparing it to.

I think it's fair to say that many people were blown away by the announcements, regardless of those things you mention.

[Sevir]

Lol... The game isn't that far off... Kitase started Preproduction of the game late 2013 after He and his team shipped Lightning Returns:FF13. And and they went into full production around November last year. Considering FF7 will be 20 years old in September 2017... I'm pretty sure They know when this will release. It's not as far off as we think...

And you talk about no probable release as if it's a long way off. Quantum Break has been in development since Alan Wake shipped... And it's been pushed back from 2014 to 2015 to now 2016... And it was announced in 2013 at E3... Have a seat and stop trolling.

[ssj3goku87]

Always finding something to complain about right? Just be happy that those games are actually being made dude.

[SmokingMonkey]

I was blown away by peoples reactions to FF7r

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

And Horizon

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

And Dreams

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[peshkavusCA]

I was blown away by Horizon. I can't wait to see how much open world it can offer along with its pretty graphics.

[SmokingMonkey]

Add the possibility of climbing Giants, Shadow of The Colossus style!

http://www.junkiemonkeys.co...

[Mega24]

I was expecting horizon, been following it since it was leaked. Yet, still was blown away by it. Mecha Monster Hunter!

[SmokingMonkey]

Yes! these images are insane!

Guerilla <3

http://www.itechheads.com/w...

This was mind blowing too, unlikely part of Horizon ZD but still amazing!

http://cdn.vgleaks.netdna-c...

http://static1.gamespot.com...

[peshkavusCA]

I wiill wait patiently for those two games :) I hope both don't end up like The Last Guardian's development nightmare.

[MasterCornholio]

I was blown away as well.

:)

[Erik7357]

I'm sure he is blown away by anything being shown at his companies conference whether it's good or not....

[SmokingMonkey]

http://n4g.com/news/1745245...

Sony’s Shuhei Yoshida Tries Microsoft’s Halo 5 HoloLens Experience, Calls it “Super Cool”

[Erik7357]

That's good.. Just like Phil Spencer going around saying stuff about other companies.....yea okay my comment was just saying your never going to see someone say their own stuff is crap....even Nintendo is defending their e3...

[Viper7]

I consider myself somewhat a sony fanboy, but I do hope that Hololens becomes a huge hit. Infact I am more hyped about it than I am about Morpheus or Occulus.

Augmented reality tech could really use a solid platform to thrive on. I am much more interested in enhancing the world around us than wasting time on virtual worlds. Sure VR might allow a lot more fun, but AR could change the whole world and by this I mean the world around us not some imaginary world.

[fishy1]

Biggest anticipated release ever, and yet not enough support on kickstarter to make the full game...... I think all the old folks are living on nostalgia, FFVII will do well, but Shenmue will be a flop even after the public funds a fraction of the cost. I loved my dreamcast, and at the time shenmue was something new. But it has in no way aged well, I for one cant fire up the dreamcast and play the original without thinking its total crap. But yeah it had a great story, not really so great gameplay. And while I dont need a remake of FVII. I will buy and play it, as it really was an outstanding RPG. And the fact its going to be a full remake and not a port just entices it. But at the same time, its a LONG way off. So there are still a ton of games to play and get excited about before then. Like fallout and just cause... ohhhh myyyyyy......what a great time to be a gamer regardless of system

[TwoForce]

Watch your talk !

[343_Guilty_Spark]

I got Shenmue on Dreamcast when it launched. I was probably more impressed by the graphics and level of detail than anything else. In fact, in my opinion those were more memorable than the actual story in the game, so excuse me for not being blown away by its announcement.

As far as Final Fantasy 7 which is a much more interesting and fun game than Shenmue I am excited to hear a remake is finally being done but a lot of that is from nostalgia. I have thouroughly beaten FF7 over 4 times, so I will buy it on PC but not immediately at launch. I am a bit more excited about the newer games.

[TwoForce]

People get their excitement. These people deserve to be happy and hype about this. Because these people who live with video game longer than other young gamer. I'm maybe not older than hardcore gamer, but I do know this : History give us something special to believe and hope. I know history of gaming by learning and respect the culture of gaming. Every small detail are very important even bigger one.

[OzzY-waZZy]

You and I both, Shu. You and I both.

[Relientk77]

I was too and blown away for Horizon and The Last Guardian

[WizzroSupreme]

I think we all were. Of course, he has to say that out of obligation, but it really was the announcement that saved Square Enix's showing for me this E3.

[Bass_fisherman]

Ill get excited when the games are actually on sale in 2-6 years from now.

[Kumomeme]

well,FFVII is top 5 shuhei yoshida's favourite game..along with dark soul and demon soul