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Shuhei Yoshida and Daisuke Toki Named CEDEC2026 Keynote Speakers

Yoshida's keynote marks his first major public reflection on his PlayStation-era career since leaving Sony Interactive Entertainment, while Toki's focus on cross-sector technology production signals CEDEC's broadening scope beyond pure game development.

Key Facts

  • Yoshida's keynote, titled 'The Wonderful Games, Creators, and Their Creativity I Have Encountered,' is his first major public lecture since leaving Sony Interactive Entertainment in 2019.
  • CEDEC2026 runs July 22-24 as a hybrid event at Pacifico Yokohama North and online, featuring approximately 200 sessions.
  • The PERACON2026 pitch contest, now in its 16th year, opens applications on June 22, and the CEDEC Lightning short-session timetable has been available since June 15.

Reporting from 3 sources: GAME Watch (Impress), Denfaminicogamer, GameBusiness.jp.

Shuhei Yoshida and Daisuke Toki Named CEDEC2026 Keynote Speakers

The Computer Entertainment Association (CESA) announced on June 22 that Shuhei Yoshida and Daisuke Toki will deliver the keynote lectures at CEDEC2026, Japan's largest game developer conference. Yoshida, former president of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios and current president of yosp, will speak on the first day, July 22. His lecture is titled "The Wonderful Games, Creators, and Their Creativity I Have Encountered" and will reflect on the creators and games he met during his career from the original PlayStation onward. Toki, a software technology research manager who developed SoftEther VPN and a senior expert at the Information-technology Promotion Agency (IPA), will speak on the final day, July 24. His lecture is titled "Establishing Means of Production for Computers and Network Technologies That Can Be Disseminated Worldwide" and will cover collaboration between the private sector, universities, and government. CEDEC2026 runs July 22-24 as a hybrid event at Pacifico Yokohama North and online. Other announced programming includes an organizer special project session on human resource development, the PERACON2026 pitch contest, and the CEDEC Lightning short-session timetable.

Yoshida's keynote at CEDEC2026 is his first major public lecture since leaving Sony Interactive Entertainment in 2019 and founding yosp. He led PlayStation business and PlayStation VR development at SIE and promoted indie game support. The lecture title, "The Wonderful Games, Creators, and Their Creativity I Have Encountered," will touch on specific works from the original PlayStation onward.

Toki is the founder of SoftEther Corporation and developed SoftEther VPN, security software used by 10 million users worldwide. He also serves as a visiting professor at the University of Tsukuba and a senior expert at IPA. His lecture will present specific methodologies for achieving organizational success and profit acquisition through collaboration between private companies, universities, and government entities.

CEDEC2026 runs July 22-24 as a hybrid event at Pacifico Yokohama North and online. The conference features approximately 200 sessions covering game development backgrounds and work efficiency know-how. Early bird discounts for session passes are available until June 30.

Other announced programming includes an organizer special project session on July 24 at 3:30 PM titled "[Organizer Special Project] How Do Young Creators Change in Two Years? - Designing Companion-Type Human Resource Development Seen from the TGCA Midpoint -." The session introduces the Top Game Creators Academy (TGCA) launched by CESA in fiscal 2025 and shares how young creators' judgment criteria change through a case study with actual mentors participating.

The PERACON2026 pitch contest, now in its 16th year, opens applications on June 22 at 9 PM. Participants submit a project concept on a single A4 sheet. The CEDEC Lightning short-session timetable, featuring consecutive 5-minute sessions within 30 minutes, has been available since June 15.

Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.

吉田 修平 登 大遊

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