Summary
Recently retiredPlayStationexec, Shuhei Yoshida, has shared that he thinksBlue Prince, a forthcoming indie game, is one of the Game of the Year 2025 candidates. Developed by US-based Dogubomb,Blue Princeis an adventure game scheduled for release on July 05, 2025, acrossPlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
In January 2025,PlayStation bid farewell to one of its most influential figureswhen Yoshida retired after an illustrious 31-year spell at the console giant. Besides serving for over a decade as the head of the division that is now known as PlayStation Studios, the Japanese veteran also promoted the development of indie games in his final role at the company. During this time, Yoshida’s affection for independent developers and their projects became even more apparent, as he oversaw the expansion of the PlayStation Hero Project into new regions. Even though he is not in charge of such Sony initiatives anymore, he has continued giving shout-outs to promising indie games, one of which is publisher Raw Fury’sBlue Prince.
In a Twitter post, ex-PlayStaton Head of Indies Shuhei Yoshida gave his stamp of approval toBlue Prince, saying that it is set to be “one of GOTY 2025 candidates.” The title in question here is a puzzle-heavy exploration game in which the player must navigate their way through a mysterious manor where the rooms keep changing every day at dawn, adding an element of unpredictability. On the day of its launch on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Steam,Blue Princewill also land on Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plussubscription services.
Post PlayStation, Yoshida Continues Working with Indie Devs
Yoshida may no longer be at PlayStation, but his involvement in the indie game development scenario doesn’t seem to have come to an end yet. Interestingly, the iconic industry legend has found new ways to collaborate with independent studios and contribute to their games in his post-Sony era. Most recently, Yoshida was revealed to be debuting as avoice actor inPromise Mascot Agency, which is slated for release later in 2025.
Given Yoshida’s legacy in the gaming industry and his experience with indie titles, the praise directed towardsBlue Princecould easily be seen as a very promising sign for the game. If it does end up becoming a contender for Game of the Year over time, it would mark another noteworthy year for indie games, which bagged several Game of the Year awards in 2024, thanks tohit releases such asBalatroandAnimal Well.
Blue Prince
WHERE TO PLAY
Welcome to Mt. Holly, the mysterious manor with shifting rooms. In Blue Prince, you embark on a genre-defying experience, filled with a unique mix of mystery, strategy, and puzzles that weave together to create an unpredictable journey. Will your explorative steps lead you to the rumored Room 46?Upon reaching a closed door in Mt. Holly, you decide what room appears behind it and each decision shapes your path as you navigate through the manor. Every door can reveal new and exciting chambers that contain their own unique challenges and secrets. But be careful how you draft, for each day the manor’s floor plan resets and the rooms you saw today may not be the same rooms you see tomorrow.Your progress each day is shaped by the rooms you select to draft and the tools you find within them. Items in the game can be used in a number of creative ways to fuel your exploration deeper into the house, allowing you to adopt unique strategies to combat the challenges that each day brings. Yet, tread wisely – the house resets each dawn, erasing all but the permanent upgrades to your estate blueprint. That is, if you were clever enough to find one!As the heir of Mt. Holly, you have been tasked to explore its shifting halls in search of Room 46. Yet as your journey takes you further into the mansion’s depths, you start to discover that there is more lurking under the surface than a missing room. Investigate a past woven with the threads of blackmail, political intrigue, and the mysterious disappearance of a local children’s book author. The deeper you venture, the more you realize that the past is closer than it appears.
