The news that shook the industry a few moments ago was ]the announcement of Jim Ryan's departure, head of PlayStation, who will leave his position next year[. The departure of the executive from the Japanese brand takes place in a particular context as the relationship with Xbox became absolute tension when Microsoft initiated its acquisition strategy and purchased Activision Blizzard King. However, this is not a personal feud, and Phil Spencer acknowledged the head of PlayStation.
Phil Spencer responds to the announcement of Jim Ryan's resignation
A few moments ago, Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, reacted to the official announcement of Jim Ryan's resignation from his position as president of Sony Interactive Entertainment and head of PlayStation. The executive of the North American brand recognized Jim Ryan's work for three decades, his contributions to gaming, and the staunch defense he had during the review period of Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard King, something he publicly opposed, stating that the operation "would harm PlayStation."
Regarding this, Phil Spencer's message states: "Jim Ryan has been a great contributor to our industry and a fierce leader for PlayStation. I wish him the best in whatever he does next. Thank you for everything you've done for the community over the last 30 years, Jim."
Jim Ryan will leave his position as head of PlayStation in March 2024; however, he is no longer the president of Sony Interactive Entertainment, so the position falls into the hands of Sony Group Corporation's Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Hiroki Totoki. Hiroki Totoki will also serve as interim CEO of SIE on April 1.
Why is Jim Ryan resigning from PlayStation?
According to Jim Ryan, the reason for his resignation is that he no longer has the ability to perform his job since PlayStation's strategy is global, requiring its top executives to move around different parts of the world: "After 30 years, I have made the decision to retire from SIE in March 2024. I have enjoyed the opportunity to have a job I love in a very special company, working with great people and amazing partners. But it is becoming increasingly difficult for me to reconcile living in Europe and working in North America. I will leave having had the privilege of working on products that have touched millions of lives worldwide; PlayStation will always be part of my life, and I feel more optimistic than ever about the future of SIE. I want to thank Yoshida-san for placing so much trust in me and being an incredibly sensitive and supportive leader."
In this way, Jim Ryan will leave PlayStation having led the launch of the PS5, the transition to this new console, the response to the shortage period due to the pandemic, but also with controversies such as changes to PlayStation Plus, price increases in the service, a decrease in some important indicators such as the number of subscribers, some anti-consumer intentions regarding the transition period between consoles, and perhaps the most important ]the scandal over Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard King, something he fought against but could not prevent.
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