Summary
FormerPlayStationboss Shuhei Yoshida has been revealed to be one of the voice actors in the forthcoming indie gamePromise Mascot Agency. The news comes on the heels of thePlayStationveteran leaving the console maker on May 26, 2025, after a tenure of 31 years.
For longtime fans, Shuhei Yoshida is a name that has been perennially associated with PlayStation, thanks to the various ways in which he contributed to the brand over his decades-long stay. Starting out on Sony’s PlayStation team in 1993, a year before the launch of its first console, Yoshida worked at the console giant in multiple important roles at different stages of his career, from leading SIE Worldwide Studios (later renamed as PlayStation Studios) for over 10 years to championing indie games as the head of PlayStation Indies in his final stint beginning in 2019. After announcing his decision to retire in November 2024, thePlayStation legend had expressed an interest in pursuing voice actingin games. It now turns out that Yoshida has promptly done just that.
In anew trailer,Promise Mascot Agencyrecently revealed that Yoshida has lent his voice to one of its characters, MonouGe, a gaming enthusiast and arcade owner. The gaming industry icon makes his voice acting debut playing a character described as “a perfect fit for him” by the devs. Apart from Yoshida,Promise Mascot Agencyalso features a few other prominent names in gaming in its voice acting cast. Takaya Kuroda, the voice behindLike a Dragonseriesprotagonist Kazuma Kiryu, plays the role of the main playable character, Michi. Additionally,Deadly Premonitiondirector Hidetaka “Swery” Suehiro takes on the mantle of Kannushi-kun in the game; Purah’s voice actor from the latestLegend of Zeldagames, Ayano Shibuya, plays Pinky; and Eri Saito ofChainsaw Manfame voices Matriarch Shimazu.
Ex-PlayStation Chief Turns Voice Actor for New Indie Game
After last appearing as aSuper Time Force Ultraplayable character in 2014, Shuhei Yoshida is set to expand his video game credits with a voice acting role inPromise Mascot Agency, scheduled to arrive in 2025. The open-world narrative adventure game takes players to a cursed town where they can recruit mascots, train them, and complete various tasks with them in order to become the country’s best agency. Developed by British studio Kaizen Game Works,Promise Mascot Agencyis slated for release on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch.
Bearing in mind Yoshida’s self-professed love for indie games, it is no surprise that his role after leaving PlayStation has to do with an independently developed title. What’s worth keeping an eye on next is how Sony will oversee its indie games division after the Japanese veteran’s departure, withkey initiatives like PlayStation’s Hero Projectstill active in multiple regions around the world.
