2023-09-28 04:32:05
Tokyo (awp/afp) – The CEO of Sony’s video games division, Jim Ryan, will leave his position at the end of March after a long career within the group, where he oversaw the launch of the latest PlayStation 5 console.
“Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) President and CEO Jim Ryan has made the decision to retire in March 2024” after nearly 30 years with the PlayStation business,” Sony announced in a statement released Thursday.
To prepare for the transition, Sony’s operational and financial director Hiroki Totoki will take control of SIE from next month, Sony said.
Jim Ryan joined the European branch of SIE in 1994, before occupying various positions within this division, notably playing a role in the launches of PlayStation consoles since the PS2.
He had been CEO of SIE since 2019 and in this capacity oversaw the launch the following year of the PlayStation 5. Production of this model initially suffered from the shortage of semiconductors in the midst of the pandemic but its sales then took off, totaling 40 million units at the end of July.
Under his command, Sony Interactive, in competition with the American Microsoft on the video game market, had embraced an intense strategy of studio buyouts in recent years, notably absorbing in 2022 the American Bungie (creator of “Halo” and ” Destiny”) for $3.6 billion.
Sony also strengthened its stake in Epic Games (“Fortnite”) and took a share of the capital of the Japanese FromSoftware (“Elden Ring”, “Dark Souls”).
Mr. Ryan was also on the front lines of Sony’s fight to prevent Microsoft’s takeover of Activision Blizzard, the publisher of “Call of Duty,” “Diablo” and “Candy Crush,” for a whopping $69 billion. dollars.
This acquisition, in the crosshairs of various competition authorities since its announcement in early 2022, is now on the verge of completion after a preliminary green light from the British authority.
“I relished the opportunity to have a job that I love in a very special company, to work with great people and incredible partners. But I found it increasingly difficult to balance my life in Europe and my work in North America,” Mr. Ryan was quoted as saying in the press release.
Mr. Totoki, also quoted, expressed “his deep gratitude to Jim Ryan for his exceptional achievements and contributions during his 30-year career at Sony, and in particular for the great success represented by the launch of the PlayStation 5” .
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