Starting April 1, we're going to need to get used to seeing a new company name at the start of every PlayStation game. After years of having its business split across two different subsidiaries, a new company called Sony Interactive Entertainment will manage the entirety of the PlayStation platform.
For years, two major companies ran PlayStation: Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. was in charge of hardware development, game development, third party relations, and marketing; Sony Network Entertainment International, founded back in 2010, managed everything to do with the PlayStation Network, including the PSN Store, game streaming service PlayStation Now, and the handful of streaming entertainment services offered on the platform. Now those two companies have been brought together.
In an announcement published last night, Andrew House (current President of SCE and future President and Global CEO of SIE) made the case for the new company:
“By integrating the strengths of PlayStation’s hardware, software, content and network operations, SIE will become an even stronger entity, with a clear objective to further accelerate the growth of the PlayStation® business. Along with our business partners, SIE will develop pioneering services and products that will continue to inspire consumers’ imaginations and lead the market. We will work hard to maximize corporate value by coordinating global business operations across San Mateo, Tokyo, and London by leveraging local expertise.”
Once it forms, Sony Interactive Entertainment will be headquartered in San Mateo, CA, which is currently home to SCE America.
This re-organization also brings along a couple of shifts in management, the most interesting of which is the elevation of former SCE America head Shawn Layden to the head of Worldwide Studios, the company's chief game division. The current president of SCE Worldwide, Shuhei Yoshida explained in a tweet that he will keep his title but will begin reporting to Layden. SCE America has been key to the recovery and growth of the PlayStation brand over the past few years, so it makes sense to see Sony bring Layden up in this way. And as long as we still get to see Shuhei's joyful face, I'm not complaining.