Divide and conquer. Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) changes strategy after the Jim Ryan era and goes for something daring: restructure PlayStation into two large groups. One of them specifically dedicated to the creation of games and entertainment experiences and another focused on technology and hardware such as consoles and accessories. Logically, this movement involves the appointment of two presidents and the names have already been put on the table: Hermen Hulst e Hideaki Nishino.
Through an official statementOwn Hiroki Totokiwho took the reins from Ryan in March of this year, has announced both the new presidents and the philosophy behind the restructuring of PlayStation, so that both Hulst and Nishino will take up their new position at SIE next June 1. That is, practically in two weeks from the announcement itself. Two presidents with the same terms and objectives? Yes but no.
The strategy proposed by Hiroki Totoki, who will step down as acting CEO although he will continue to be president of SIE, is to start the fiscal year by introducing a medium-term plan whose priority involves guaranteeing sustainable growth
A decisi on that has not been made hastily, since as Hiroki Totoki himself remembers, he took charge of SIE since last October and will not ignore PlayStation. In addition, Totoki anticipates that we will know more details about the restructuring plan this month, which means that we will have much better plans before the change of positions.
That said, both the objective of both groups and the distribution of responsibilities has already been decided:
- Future PlayStation consoles and accessories will be in the hands of Hideaki Nishino, who as of June 1 will take full responsibilities for the Platform Experience Group. This encompasses everything from the next models and revisions of PS5, the not-so-secret PS6 that they are already working on, peripherals, services, infrastructure and everything related to both business relationships and hardware sales and marketing.
- Hermen Hulst will continue to be in charge of Sony studios, but from a higher position than he had. Under his responsibility are, among others, PlayStation Studios (Naughty Dog, Insomniac Games, Guerrilla Games, Santa Monica, etc.) as well as a Bungie which operates on the sidelines but under the umbrella of Hulst and the series and movies division of PlayStation Productions.
Two groups that will operate closely under the same umbrella. All in all, in the case of Hulst there are essential nuances to consider, since in addition to having to take into account the creation and publication of video games and the related commercial operations (he has inherited new responsibilities to those he already had) he has to evaluate the opportunities expansion of PlayStation intellectual properties. Both its legacy and those that can be added in the form of new licenses or the acquisition of studies. Not to mention bringing all those games that deserve to go beyond consoles and PCs to movies or television.
A new era on PlayStation begins in June
The fact that this division has been carried out into two large groups allows for much more room for maneuver, as well as better management and control of budgets. However, and as Hiroki Totoki himself indicates, they will not operate in an uncoordinated manner since both must report to him on his strategies both as president of the SIE and for his functions in SGC. Which does not prevent other interesting doors from opening, such as new strategies to take their games, hardware and other experiences beyond PlayStation consoles. Movements that, by the way, have been going on for years.
With the plan drawn up and underway, Hiroki Totoki predicts an incredibly bright future for SIE and the new presidents of PlayStation who, it must be said, are more than acclimated to their respective positions given their previous career and will now have more decision-making power and capacity. to take initiatives.
The beginning of a new era for PlayStation? When it comes to hardware, we know that Sony has several plans to reveal, including an unannounced PS5 Pro that already has very specific rumors. As for the big games from our own studios, we haven’t forgotten Marvel’s Wolverine, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach or the remake of Until Dawn, in addition to Bungie’s new Marathon. It will be very interesting to see how each of these games bring out the best in the PlayStation hardware from now on.
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