Yoshida Says God of War Was in Rough Shape Just Six Months Before Release

Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida has revealed that God of War—one of the most celebrated games in PlayStation’s modern catalog—was dangerously close to launching in a poor state. Speaking candidly in a recent interview with Game File, Yoshida said the game was so unpolished during a playtest that he felt "horrified" and ultimately pushed for a crucial delay.

Yoshida, who stepped down from Sony earlier this year after more than 30 years with the company, described a visit to Santa Monica Studio roughly six months before the game’s original launch window. While the project had already made headlines with a huge reveal and generated enormous buzz, what he saw behind closed doors told a different story.

“That was one of the biggest games in development,” Yoshida explained. “The company had huge expectations… but when I played it, I was horrified—not because of the concept, but because of how unfinished it was.”

The build he played was about 80% complete but filled with glaring issues. Yoshida recalled fighting enemies that shot at him from off-screen, struggling with poor frame rates, and experiencing broken gameplay elements that disrupted the flow. Frustrated and concerned, he spoke with executive producer Shannon Studstill and recommended a delay.

The game was originally set to release in October but was pushed to the following April. According to Yoshida, the additional six months gave the development team enough time to fix critical issues and polish the experience into the award-winning title fans eventually embraced.

“That delay really helped the team,” Yoshida said. “It transformed the game.”

His insight into God of War’s development serves as a reminder that great games aren’t always born great—they’re forged through hard choices, brutal feedback, and sometimes, a well-timed delay.