Shuhei Yoshida, former PlayStation executive, has shared details about the cancellation of a new game from Santa Monica Studio, known for its work on the God of War series.
This project, in which Sony had invested $25 million, was halted after several years of development due to issues with its concept and gameplay, according to Yoshida in the My Perfect Console podcast.
Despite the game having “a really impressive concept and very interesting gameplay ideas,” Yoshida explained that the team at Santa Monica Studio approached him to express that they were unable to find the right direction for it. “They came to me and said, ‘We have to stop,'” he recounted, indicating that this decision, although difficult, is part of the creative process in the video game industry.
“Better to lose 25 million dollars than 50”
Yoshida emphasized that the cancellation of titles in development is a normal aspect of the business, arguing that “it doesn’t cost us much” to cancel games in early stages.
However, he admitted that the decision to cancel the $25 million game was “really tough” due to the investment of time and resources. This stance follows the trend in the industry, where cancellations of more expensive projects are not unusual.
The former executive also mentioned that maintaining a project that is not progressing can lead to greater financial losses and affect the team’s work health. “It is not healthy to work on something that has been struggling for a long time,” he added.
Yoshida emphasized the importance of innovation and the need to restart projects to allow the birth of new ideas, suggesting that allowing the abandonment of a failed project can open doors to future opportunities.
In the same context, Yoshida addressed other cancellations, including one from a large budget of a European studio, highlighting that these types of decisions are critical for the long-term viability of developers.