Sony PlayStation Reveals Its Successors to Jim Ryan – And It’s Two of Them!
Sophie Laurent 
The announcement, which had been anticipated for several months, was made late at night (French time). Jim Ryan has finally identified his successors. They were actually appointed by the board of Sony PlayStation Group, who selected two internal candidates. The former CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment will be replaced not by one but by two individuals: Hermen Hulst and Hideaki Nishino. Hermen Hulst, a Dutch national and long-time associate with the PlayStation brand as the founder of Guerrilla Games (known for the Killzone and Horizon series), has since taken on the role of director at PlayStation Studios. His responsibilities include overseeing the new Studio Business Group department and ensuring the quality of film and television adaptations based on PlayStation games. With projects like God of War, Ghost of Tsushima, and Horizon currently in production, it is evident that they cannot afford to fail, particularly following the immense success of the Fallout series.
The second person to head Sony Interactive Entertainment is Japanese executive Hideaki Nishino, who has long served in the group and was recently promoted to head of the Platform Business Group, in addition to his existing responsibilities. This means that Hideaki Nishino will continue to oversee PlayStation’s technology, products, services, and platform experience. However, his duties extend beyond this, including supervising relationships with third-party publishers and developers, as well as commercial deals surrounding hardware, accessories, and services like the PlayStation Network and PlayStation Plus.
Together, Hermen Hulst and Hideaki Nishino will be guided by Hiroki Totoki, who serves as the Financial Director and Operations Director of Sony Group Corporation. Appointed on an interim basis following Jim Ryan’s departure, effective April 1, 2024, Totoki’s leadership indicates a shift towards more Japanese and European approaches within Sony. This change comes after the company had adopted a distinctly American direction in its vision and business strategies. Despite positive outcomes with the PS5 and this new phase, Sony has faced significant criticism for certain stances, particularly regarding pricing policies and practices reminiscent of Apple, which many players have found unsatisfactory. The company intends to convene another meeting later in the year to outline its future objectives clearly.
For those curious about Sony’s latest gadgetry aimed at enhancing the PS5 experience, be sure to check out Carlos Mendoza’s recent post titled “PlayStation Portal: The Name and Price of PS5’s Remote Play Console Revealed,” published on August 23, 2023. In it, he delves into the unveiling of “Project Q,” now officially named PlayStation Portal, a peripheral designed to bring the full PS5 experience wherever you go. Priced at €219.99 ($199.99), this portable device promises a compact yet immersive gaming solution with features like adaptive triggers and haptic feedback. Don’t miss out on all the details; click [Read the article] to learn more! For all Gran Turismo fans out there, Sophie Laurent has an exciting update on the blog: “Gran Turismo 7: The Film’s Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 Arrives in Game, Trailer Released” (published August 4, 2023). This post details the latest version 1.36 update for Gran Turismo 7, which brings a special car straight from the upcoming film based on Jann Mardenborough’s journey into professional racing. Don’t miss out on this rare opportunity to drive the Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 in-game—available for free from August 7 until September 28. Head over to the blog ([Read the article]) to learn more and see the trailer! For those interested in the latest trends in France’s video game market, be sure to check out “France Charts: Pikmin 4 Tops Sales, Surprises on PC” by Ahmed Hassan (July 31, 2023). This comprehensive weekly blog post from SELL delves into the top-selling games across both consoles and PCs during Weeks 26 to 29 of 2023. From Pikmin 4 leading the charge on consoles to Jagged Alliance 3’s surprising performance on PC, there’s plenty to explore in this insightful analysis. Dive into the details at [Read the article].
About the Author
Marcus Thompson 
Ahmed Hassan 
Jonathan Dubinski 
Bruno Pferd 
Carlos Mendoza 
