Shuhei Yoshida, the former head of a PlayStation studio, has remarked that Japanese studios are unable to compete with their Chinese counterparts.

Shuhei Yoshida, the former chief of PlayStation's Worldwide Studios, expressed concerns that Japanese game creators are struggling to match the pace set by their Chinese counterparts.

In an interview with 4Gamer, translated by Automaton, Yoshida highlighted that companies like MiHoYo, known for Genshin Impact, develop titles swiftly, often involving extensive work hours in the office.

Yoshida remarked, "China's development pace is impressive, they're adept at personnel shifts, and the projects progress rapidly." He recalled talks with MiHoYo personnel, agreeing it would be challenging for Japanese firms to mirror MiHoYo's methods, not to mention the legal entanglements.

He posed whether there are development aspects that Japanese makers cannot emulate, citing the conducive hiring environment in China where a large workforce can endure extensive hours as a significant advantage.

MiHoYo has achieved enormous success with its offerings. Genshin Impact has amassed over $5 billion in mobile revenue, a record achievement. Additionally, Zenless Zone Zero, another hit, garnered 50 million downloads globally shortly after its release.

In 2019, the 996.ICU movement emerged to challenge extensive working hours in China, highlighting 996 practices — working from 9 am to 9 pm, six days weekly. The movement references Chinese labor laws restricting workdays to eight hours and maintains a record of companies following the 996 model.

After stepping down from PlayStation in January, Yoshida discussed with GamesIndustry.biz his experiences with the initial PlayStation launch and the Super NES CD-ROM project that preceded it.