At WePlay 2025 in Shanghai on November 22-23, 2025, Shuhei Yoshida, a titan of the Japanese gaming industry and former head of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios, dropped some major insights. He dished on miHoYo's latest tech and strategic pivots, emphasizing that Chinese developers are now growing at a pace far beyond what most people imagine.
When discussing the massive player base miHoYo has cultivated across "Genshin Impact," the "Honkai" series, and "Zenless Zone Zero," Yoshida didn't mince words. "The overlap between these player communities is likely quite high now, and precisely because of that, I believe they need to move in different directions," he stated. He pointed out that miHoYo's new titles showcase a realistic approach, an engine switch, and high-end production, revealing an ambition completely unlike anything they've done before.
Asked about miHoYo's adoption of Unreal Engine, he responded, "This is their first time not using Unity. Including the technical challenges, it's clear they're moving towards a higher-end, more long-term future." He sees this not just as an art style shift, but a clear signal of the entire company's upgrade in both technology and operational strategy.
Yoshida also shared his firsthand observations on the development environment of major Chinese studios participating in the "China Hero Project," mentioning realities miHoYo had revealed to him.
"A development approach like miHoYo's would be incredibly difficult to achieve in Japan," he explained. The reasons? Differences in legal frameworks, HR systems, and work pace. "The ability to deploy massive numbers of staff and work long hours – these have become part of China's gaming powerhouse status."
Beyond miHoYo, Yoshida heaped praise on Chinese developers as a whole. He noted that Chinese teams' business acumen is already incredibly mature. "Chinese developers have a seriously strong 'business sense,' especially those involved in the 'China Hero Project.' They're not just thinking about making games; they're treating games as a genuine business."
On another note, he highlighted that Chinese indie games are creatively in sync with global trends, making it hard to even distinguish their nationality. "Many current titles, just by looking at the screen, you can't tell if they're Chinese or from overseas," he asserted. He stressed that Chinese indie developers and international creators are "already standing on the same stage" when it comes to creativity, technology, and polish.
Confronted with China's blistering development speed, he reiterated with a thoughtful tone that, at this stage, it's genuinely difficult for Japan to keep pace. However, he added that future industry changes remain unpredictable, though one thing is certain: China's momentum continues to surge forward.
via： 4Gamer.net