For the first time in history, Sony has announced that two people will be stepping into the role of CEO for PlayStation following the retirement of Jim Ryan several months ago.
When Jim Ryan stepped aside,Sony Interactive Entertainment chairman Hiroki Totoki was appointed as interim-CEO at PlayStation until a suitable replacement could be found. However, in a surprising move Sony has decided to appoint co-CEOs to run PlayStation, both ultimately answering to Hiroki Totoki
Herman Hulst will take on the role of CEO of the newly named PlayStation Studio Business Group which includes all of PlayStation’s first-party teams such as Sony Santa-Monica and Insomniac. He will also handle the development of PlayStation IP in other media such as film and TV.
“I am thrilled to lead the studio business group and continue to build on our success with PlayStation 5, while preparing for the future,” Hulst said in a statement. “The video game industry is one of the largest entertainment industries in the world and has been built on the marriage of content and technology, and I look forward to continuing to push the boundaries of play and entertainment.”
Meanwhile, Hideaki Nishino will become CEO of Platform Business Group. He’ll handle console hardware, accessories, the PlayStation Network, accessories and third-party relations. Like Herman Hulst, Nishino has been with Sony for a long time, first joining the company in 2006, while Hulst became part of PlayStation in 2005 when Sony bought Guerilla Games.
“We will continue to connect players and creators through world-class products, services, and technology,” Nishino said. “We always strive to grow our community even bigger with innovation in every area at Sony Interactive Entertainment.”
“I am honored to be appointed such an important role alongside Hermen. By working more closely together, we will be positioned to build incredible experiences for an ever-expanding audience now and in the future.”
These changes will go into full effect on June 1st.
“Sony Interactive Entertainment is a dynamic and growing business that delivers incredible entertainment experiences through the connection of content and technology,” Hiroki Totoki said. “These two leaders will have clear responsibilities and will manage strategic direction to ensure the focus remains on deepening engagement with existing PlayStation users and expanding experiences to new audiences.”
The decision to split the CEO role speaks to PlayStation’s continued growth. It also comes hours before Sony is due to release its financial report for the quarter, which is where we may finally get to learn how many copies Helldivers 2 has actually sold.