2023-09-28 15:22:16
Jim Ryan, the boss of PlayStation, will leave his position in 2024 following 30 years of service at Sony.
Jim Ryan, the boss of Sony Interactive Entertainment // Source: Sony – Lenny Gonzalez
He has only been known to some gamers since his appointment as head of PlayStation in 2019, but Jim Ryan had actually worked at Sony for more than 30 years. The businessman announced to everyone’s surprise that he would leave his position on April 1, 2024, at the end of Sony’s fiscal year.
From this date, it is Hiroki Totoki, financial director of Sony, who will take over the role of boss of PlayStation while waiting for the group to find a replacement for Jim Ryan.
A record year for PlayStation
For several years, PlayStation has become Sony’s main activity. The position of CEO of PlayStation is therefore particularly strategic for the group. Under the presidency of Jim Ryan, the brand extended the success of the PlayStation 4 and made the PlayStation 5 a must-have at the start of the generation.
The businessman notably managed to lead the way in the middle of a pandemic, with major production problems, whether to properly supply stores with PlayStation 5 or for the creation of games.
Despite this shortage, the PlayStation 5 is not far from being the best-selling console in Sony’s history to date. It is also under his governance that Sony made questionable choices with an increase in the price of games, services and consoles. We can mention some communication problems, such as the question of backward compatibility of the PS5, the management of the transition from the PS4 to the PS5, the launch of the PlayStation Portal, or more recently the erroneous email warning of the increase in PlayStation Plus.
Change of direction ?
We do not know the reasons for Jim Ryan’s departure. As we explained, it will leave its functions with a PlayStation at the top and a rather complete PS5 ecosystem, whether in game or accessory. A change in presidency might be a sign of a change in strategy for Sony in the future. Perhaps the company would like to take PlayStation in a new direction.
Xbox boss Phil Spencer praised Jim Ryan’s career on X (formerly Twitter) // Source: Phil Spencer
The brand already has several transformative projects in the works, such as its massive investment in game services, the development of its cinema or television franchises, or even the transition of its games to PC and cloud gaming.
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