The last hours of Wednesday, September 17th, will be remembered in the video game industry for the many things that happened. From the release of Counter Strike 2, to the Game Pass for Meta’s VR glasses, and of course, the retirement announcement of Jim Ryan, head of PlayStation.
Jim Ryan, President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), will step down from his position in March 2024.
In an announcement on Sony’s official website regarding his retirement, the executive stated that it has become “increasingly difficult” to balance his family life in the United Kingdom and his work in the United States.
Ryan has been with SIE since 1994, before the worldwide launch of the first PlayStation. He helped establish the company’s presence in Europe and held various positions before ultimately being appointed CEO of SIE in 2019.
He has been responsible for the PS5 strategy since its launch
SIE launched the PlayStation 5 under Ryan’s leadership. Although the company faced challenges in producing enough consoles during the pandemic due to component shortages, they were ultimately able to ramp up production and meet demand.
In the first quarter of 2023, Sony distributed 3.3 million units of the PS5, bringing the total number of consoles sold to 41.7 million. This, when put into perspective, positions the console as the best-selling of its generation.
Sony’s CEO, Kenichiro Yoshida, praised Ryan for “overseeing the launch of the PlayStation 5 amid the global COVID pandemic” and stated that the device is now “on track to become SIE’s most successful console to date.”
On April 1, 2024, Hiroki Totoki will assume the role of interim CEO of SIE, in addition to his positions as President, COO, and CFO of Sony Group Corporation. The company has stated that they will work with leadership to “help define the next chapter in the future of PlayStation” and find the next head of Sony Interactive Entertainment.
