PlayStation has appointed two new CEOs in Hermen Hulst and Hideaki Nishino to replace Jim Ryan, who announced his exit from the company last year.
Hulst, who co-founded Killzone and Horizon developer Guerrilla Games and serves as SVP and head of PlayStation Studios, will take on the role of CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Studio Business Group.
He will be responsible for the development, publishing and business operations of the company’s first-party content.
Nishino, who currently works as SVP for the company’s Platform Experience Group, will be appointed CEO of SIE’s Platform Business Group.
He’s been tasked with overseeing third-party publisher and developer relations, as well as commercial operations including sales and the marketing of hardware, services and peripherals.
Current SIE interim CEO Hiroki Totoki will serve as chairman, in addition to the roles of president, COO and CFO of Sony Group Corporation. Nishino and Hulst will report directly to Totoki.
The new leadership structure will be effective as of June 1st, 2024.
“Expanding experiences to new audiences”
“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,” said Totoki.
Hulst added: “I am thrilled to lead the studio business group and continue to build on our success with PlayStation 5, while preparing for the future.
“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.”
Nishino commented: “We will continue to connect players and creators through world-class products, services, and technology. We always strive to grow our community even bigger with innovation in every area at Sony Interactive Entertainment.
“I am honoured to be appointed to 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.”
No mention of mobile was made during the announcement, which remains a small part of the PlayStation business. The company is focused on its console business, as well as PC and other mediums such as TV and film.
The PlayStation Mobile unit is headed up by co-heads Kris Davis and Olivier Courtemarche, who were appointed to the roles last year following the departure of Nicola Sebastiani.
