Global PlayStation boss Kaz Hirai takes over responsibility for Sony Online Entertainment
President of Sony Computer Entertainment Kaz Hirai has taken charge of the company's online business – separate to its PlayStation division – as part of a company restructuring that will sees the platform holder aggressively pursue the online gaming market.
Current president of Sony Online entertainment John Smedley will report to Hirai when the move becomes effective on April 1st.
The platform holder called the change a ‘strategic move to closely align itself with the strong growth of the worldwide online gaming market’, adding that ‘the new structure is designed to mutually benefit both companies by further accelerating the PlayStation business through Sony Online Entertainment’s strong online gaming expertise.
Sony Online Entertainment, which is based in San Diego, US, is currently part of Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Under the new structure, SOE will continue to develop its games for the PC and the PS3 computer entertainment system.
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“I am excited to be able to work with SOE even more closely, as online games and services become a more integral part of the PS3 entertainment experience,” said Hirai said. “This new structure will allow us to take full advantage of the extensive breadth of expertise of the two companies and increase our range of exciting entertainment offerings to our consumers.”
“We are thrilled to become a part of the incredible team that has made PS3 the premier platform for next generation online gaming,” added Smedley.
“This move is going to broaden our capabilities and expand the development of our products into new and exciting directions.”
Comments
There's only one thing SOE will be remembered for
and that is for destroying Star Wars Galaxies with the whole NGE fiasco back in 2005 and allowing hundreds of thousands of people to leave the game.
I for one will never forgive, or forget.
Re: There's only one thing SOE will be remembered for
I shall never forget also, talk about not give a **** about your customers, but that's Sony allover, in europe anyway.
Re: There's only one thing SOE will be remembered for
They should have been dragged over the coals for their non-existing support for the bugs in the Field Commander servers. They simply refused to accept that there was a problem despite the fact that every user lost games partway through on a regular basis.
I can't believe they're focusing on MMO with that kind of track record.
So this is why PSN is free
I guess we know why PSN is free now, to get people on line so that they can buy monthly subscriptions to their MMO services.
It'll be alright if the MMO service is any good, but I'm not holding out too much hope considering the current state of Sony on line play.
Get over SWG
It's gone it happened get over it.
I'm sure SOE are kicking themselves harder over the fact that they blew one of the bigest movie franchises.
But to keep cry and whining over it is pointless, SOE did bring us PS, and the great idea that is SOE Access, it be nice if there was another company out there that offered 3+ games for the subs of 2 or less.
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