Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) is the video game arm of its parent company, Sony. Today, they made an official announcement: that Sony Interactive Entertainment is undergoing reorganization.
Here’s the basic details of the SIE reorganization:Â
- Sales and marketing divisions in Sony Interactive Entertainment America (SIEA), Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe (SIEE) and Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Asia (SIEJA) will report directly to Jim Ryan, current Deputy President and Head of Global Sales and Marketing
- John Kodera, President and CEO, will assume the role of executive with responsibility for SIEA and SIEJA
- Jim Ryan will assume the role of executive with responsibility for SIEE
Additionally, they reaffirmed the importance of first-party content:Â
Increasingly, the value of interactive entertainment is differentiated by the broad spectrum and depth of experiences that it provides to customers. As such, SIE’s mission to create and develop the most attractive and powerful first party titles has become more important than ever. To fulfill this purpose, also effective April 1, Shawn Layden, current Chairman of Worldwide Studios (WWS) and SIEA President, will concentrate his focus on WWS continuing to provide platform-defining content that helps drive the growth of SIE.
It’s interesting to see this reorganization happening at the same time that Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai is stepping down. With incoming CEO Kenichiro Yoshida likely eager to continue his predecessor’s success without disturbing current projects, this streamlining of responsibility makes sense. Given that a large number SIE’s first-party studios have yet to release a game this generation, reiterating the importance of first-party titles also makes sense, ensuring an emphasis on quality and making each game attractive.
This is most likely the first change we’ll see as the result of new incoming CEO. It’ll be very interesting to see what happens over the next couple of years.
