Sony Jim Ryan to retire in March 2024

[Raine]

Rejoice, the evil has been vanquished! ...I'm sure the next one will be just as awful.

Article:

(September 28, 2023, Tokyo / September 27, San Mateo, CA) – Sony Group Corporation and Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) today announced that SIE President and CEO Jim Ryan has made the decision to retire in March 2024 after almost thirty years with the PlayStation business. To support Mr. Ryan in his transition, Sony Group Corporation President, COO and CFO Hiroki Totoki will assume the role of Chairman of SIE effective October 2023. Effective April 1, 2024, Mr. Totoki will be appointed Interim CEO of SIE while he continues his current role at Sony Group Corporation. Mr. Totoki will work closely with Sony Group Corporation Chairman and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida and the management team of SIE to help define the next chapter of PlayStation’s future, including the succession of the SIE CEO role.

Jim Ryan joined Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Europe-based legal entity, Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe (SIEE) — which was then Sony Computer Entertainment Europe — in 1994. Since then, he has held a number of senior positions at the company including President of SIEE, Head of Global Sales and Marketing at SIE and Deputy President of SIE since January 2018, before being appointed SIE President and CEO.

Source: https://sonyinteractive.com/en/press-releases/2023/new-management-structure-of-sony-interactive-entertainment-2/

 

[TD]

I don't even knlw if this is a good thing or not.

He wasn't perfect but he did some good things and I have no clue what will come next.

 

[Raine]

He wasn't perfect but he did some good things and I have no clue what will come next.

Something worse, as usual.

Most people want Jim Ryan gone because he's just a Grade A douche and an idiot. There was the comment about PlayStation's legacy games not being great and not understanding why someone would want to still play them (or something to this effect, anyway), he was essentially behind the push to close the PS3's PSN storefront, he had an e-mail leak about women's reproductive rights in the immediate aftermath of Roe v Wade being axed that did what you would automatically assume, uh... probably more. But those immediately came to mind.

His biggest offense was that he wasn't charming or funny like Kaz Hirai, or had whatever characteristics people liked about Shawn Layden. Gaming enthusiasts have weird relationships with executives.

 

[TD]

There was the comment about PlayStation's legacy games not being great and not understanding why someone would want to still play them (or something to this effect, anyway), he was essentially behind the push to close the PS3's PSN storefront, he had an e-mail leak about women's reproductive rights in the immediate aftermath of Roe v Wade being axed that did what you would automatically assume, uh... probably more.

The PS3 one I get, there was a vocal minority that wanted it but it didn't make a lot of business sense. I remember the survey data at some point and it being why they didn't put in the effort for backwards compatibility. Probably explains the lack of classic games in the Catalog too. I'm fine with all that but I have.. other ways of playing it.

I didn't hear about the Roe v Wade one.. yikes.

 

[Raine]

The PS3 one I get, there was a vocal minority that wanted it but it didn't make a lot of business sense. I remember the survey data at some point and it being why they didn't put in the effort for backwards compatibility. Probably explains the lack of classic games in the Catalog too. I'm fine with all that but I have.. other ways of playing it.

The fact that it's so easy to emulate PS1 and PS2 games, and PS3 emulation is still rapidly improving, is just a big ol' WTF part. I mean they left the PSP and Vita to rot too, and are now seemingly throwing an odd game here and there onto... Plus or Now or something, one of those services. Like they both do and do not get that those old games are still gold mines.

PS3 was the dealbreaker for me personally, though. We have a lot of PS3 games sitting in the garage, that I haven't really touched because X360 launched first and had a lot of exclusive JRPG momentum, and then Rock Band came along and permanently tied me to their ecosystem. I would like to go and play through some of them, for Trophies, pick up their DLC, yaddayadda, but the knowledge that Sony doesn't care and just wants to shut it down leaves me cold. It's the same reason I won't buy Nintendo eShop stuff, will entirely skip games that have story DLC (RIP Fire Emblem & Xenoblade), because like... why? I'll just pirate it later whenever I stop being stupid with Xbox. Which also pisses me off that that's closing next year, but because that was my primary platform and I already own everything I want it stings less. For now.

 

[VashTheStampede]

 

[TD]

I'll just pirate it later

This is what I've done with my PS3 actually. In fact, I've basically turned my PS3 into an emulation console.

It's pretty good for that at least. I don't have a gaming PC though.