Former head of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios, Shuhei Yoshida, for the first time explained in detail why Japan Studio, known for the Gravity Rush, Patapon, and Ape Escape series, ceased to exist.
At the CEDEC 2026 conference, Yoshida stated that the reason was not poor game quality or a lack of ideas, but rather a change in Sony's strategy. Japan Studio specialized in creative AA-level projects that were perfectly suited for PlayStation Vita and PlayStation VR. However, with the advent of the PS4 and PS5 era, the company focused on expensive AAA games capable of driving console sales.
Yoshida stated that PlayStation wanted to sell consoles with franchises like God of War and Uncharted, as that's what the market expected. As a result, it became increasingly difficult for Japan Studio's small original projects to find a place in Sony's strategy.
He noted that Keiichiro Toyama, the creator of Silent Hill and Gravity Rush, still has many unrealized ideas, and urged players to support former Japan Studio employees by purchasing their new projects, including Slitterhead and Ratatan, the spiritual successor to Patapon.