Sony is embarking on a new era of leadership in its PlayStation business, with the appointment of Hermen Hulst and Hideaki Nishino as co-CEOs, effective June 1.
This decision marks a change in the leadership structure of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), which was previously led by Jim Ryan, who recently retired, and is the first time that the company has continued with co-leadership in this regard.
Read too:
Microsoft plans to flood Windows Settings with Game Pass ads
What is the most expensive game on the PS Store in Brazil?
Co-leadership brings 2 CEOs to Sony
Hermen Hulst, currently head of PlayStation studios, will take on the role of CEO of SIE’s studio business group. Meanwhile, Hideaki Nishino will take on the role of CEO of SIE’s platform business group. Both executives will report directly to Sony’s chief financial officer and SIE president, Hiroki Totoki.
The decision to appoint co-CEOs is considered unusual, especially at a company as prominent as Sony. However, according to the company, this move reveals a strategic importance of the PlayStation business and its determination to find the best leadership to drive the brand’s continued success.
The appointment of the co-CEOs follows the retirement of Jim Ryan and the period in which Hiroki Totoki served as interim CEO of SIE. Initially, Totoki was in charge of finding a successor for the role of CEO of SIE. However, the decision was made to split leadership responsibilities between platform and games, leading to the appointment of Hulst and Nishino.
Conquer to divide: big names
Both appointees bring a wealth of experience to their new roles at SIE. Hermen Hulst is known for his work as head of PlayStation studios, where he played a key role in the development and release of successful games. Meanwhile, Hideaki Nishino is a Sony veteran, with over 20 years of experience holding various positions at the company.
The co-CEOs’ appointment comes amid a challenging period in the gaming industry, with companies like Sony and Microsoft facing issues such as layoffs and the impact of the pandemic. However, Sony revealed that it is determined to continue innovating and leading the gaming market, as evidenced by its search for new leadership and its strategy for the future of PlayStation.
The announcement of PlayStation’s new leaders also precedes the release of Sony’s latest financial results, where investors will be paying attention to PS5 console sales figures and other relevant information about the company’s performance. That’s because it was reported a few days ago that Sony now expects to sell 4 million fewer PS5s than in fiscal 2023 when compared to previous projections. This new forecast came after the company saw a reduction in console sales.
Additionally, SIE President Hiroki Totoki also talked about the chance to bring PlayStation games to the computer and cross-platform. “In the past, we wanted to popularize the console… but there is a synergy there”disse Totoki. “So if you have strong first-party content, not just on our console but also on other platforms like desktop, first-party can grow cross-platform and that can help improve operating profit.”
Sony: The Verge
Source: https://www.hardware.com.br/noticias/2024-05/sony-tera-2-ceos-para-o-playstation-com-a-saida-de-jim-ryan.html
