Sony shuffles PlayStation management, Ken on the outs?

We're still waiting for the dust to settle here, but it looks like the "Father of the PlayStation," Ken Kutaragi, has been bumped out of his top spot as President of Sony Computer Entertainment, to be replaced by Kaz Hirai, the President of CEO of SCE America. Ken will now be Chairman and Group CEO, while Kaz while take on the role of President and Group COO, effective December 1st. While Ken will have oversight of the PlayStation in his new roles, it sounds like he's been largely been removed from the day-to-day operations to make way for the talented Kaz to do his thing. Speculation is rampant as to whether this is a "promotion" for Kutaragi, in order for him to think "big picture" for his console prodigy, or a demotion in response to the numerous PS3 launch foibles -- we're guessing the latter. What we do know that SCEA will, for the first time, be helmed by an American: Jack Tretton, who we're sure to be seeing plenty of over the next few years.

[Via Joystiq]

Read - SCE Press Release [Warning: PDF file]
Read - SCEA Press Release

[TS @ Nov 30th 2006 11:18AM]

Noooo!!! who but Kutaragi will be able to wield the enormous PS3 found in the picture? No one!! It's like a Blu-ray-playing Excalibur, one the chosen one may harness its might and blue laser diode....

[joseph le brech @ Nov 30th 2006 11:27AM]

Haha, heads are rolling already.

[Eric Ward @ Nov 30th 2006 11:31AM]

I swear every time you show that picture the PS3 gets bigger. Is he leveling it up? Re-Forging it with mana stones?

[Danny @ Nov 30th 2006 11:43AM]

PS3, whats that? Oh yeah, its the uber delayed console we still dont have in the UK.

[KineticOnline @ Nov 30th 2006 11:49AM]

lol, i was expecting them all to be sacked not promoted. Typical of sony, they do everything the wrong way

[Mike Peluso @ Nov 30th 2006 11:51AM]

not a promotion or a demotion. Ken K is an engineer 1st. He still has the power, but Sony has taken the part of his job he's not that good at, and put it in the hands of someone who is good at that sort of stuff (sales, marketing, promotions, etc..)

If I was a betting man, i'd bet that Kutaragi is happy at this turn of events and possibly had a hand in setting it up. Ultimately he still has veto power over the PS3 division but for the most part, he now can do what he wants.

[JRA219psu @ Nov 30th 2006 11:53AM]

Good call Sony. Very good call. Maybe now we will start seeing Sony returning to its former glory from back in the days of the Playstation I

[klaymen @ Nov 30th 2006 12:19PM]

the grammar mistakes in this article are terrible

[ECM @ Nov 30th 2006 12:44PM]

Re: Mike Peluso

Know a lot about how Japanese corporations function, eh?

[Castle @ Nov 30th 2006 1:00PM]

I'm sure Engadget put a negative spin on this, but Kutaragi being "chairman and CEO" means he has direct control over Kaz as well as over the entire group, also, looks like there has been some major reshuffling in general, and Jack Tretton (previous chairman) taking up Kaz's old position.

http://gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=21442

[Brian Spence @ Nov 30th 2006 1:02PM]

Thank God. I got a PS3 and love it, but that Ken guy has really gotten on my nerves. What a moron. I've never heard someone in business make such outrageous claims or who just flat out lives in a fantasy land.

[bsm0f0 @ Nov 30th 2006 1:04PM]

^^ You did not capitalize the 't' in the first word of your sentence.

[PreGHz @ Nov 30th 2006 1:12PM]

"...replaced by Kaz Hirai, the President of CEO of SCE America. "

Anything sound wrong there?

Last time I checked, Chairman isn't a spot to be laughed at.

Remember Meet Joe Black? The dude was a chairman and so powerful, even Death wanted to meet him. BEFORE HE DIED! ;)

[Chris @ Nov 30th 2006 1:17PM]

Ok so PS3 was better in japan because its a jap company... hence the dislike for american mirosoft... now they put an american in charge of the playstation... umm.... hmmm ..... ummmm... am i the only one noticing something odd?

[ps3mistakes @ Nov 30th 2006 1:18PM]

I read about this earlier on kotaku and posted a link to it on http://www.ps3mistakes.com I think it's actually a good move for SCEA. I mean it can't get much worse right.

[Hein @ Nov 30th 2006 8:00PM]

i think he actually has the top job now

[David @ Nov 30th 2006 1:41PM]

Riiiiiiiiiiiiggggeeeee Raaaaaaccceeeeeerrrrrrrr!!!!!

[762x51 @ Nov 30th 2006 2:32PM]

Real time CEO change? Sounds like they are trying to hit old Ken in his weakspot for massive damage.

[glwx @ Nov 30th 2006 2:34PM]

...and that's why all these 'next-gen' systems should have launched NEXT year, folks. imagine the more sane craziness of a year with enough systems on the shelves and games that are actually worth standing in the rain for days over? sure, microsoft is preening it up now, but remember last year was hell time for them, what with the lack of 360's on store shelves, the infamously buggy perfect dark zero and more red rings of death than hell.

then again, in this age of online shopping, why can't we get over the herd mentality of these overhyped "launch days" and simply pre-order directly from some smart company that will set up an online store and ship systems out to arrive on day one? sure, it won't look as good on the news with less crowds lining up, but given the butt-poking the nedia gives gaming on a regular basis, i don't think any company needs that sort of schizoid attention on a regular basis.

hell, there will be a lot less frustration in the end and probably not as much violence, as it's pretty much a given that not enough consoles + too many people who want them = chaos in all sorts of ways...

[Mayor McCheese @ Nov 30th 2006 4:54PM]

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:tBWmY1g-rBblXM:http://image2.sina.com.cn/gm/cr/2006/0622/2364233852.jpg

I'm the new sheriff in the U.S. - Jack's the name and don't you forget it.

[jb @ Nov 30th 2006 5:17PM]

I think this is the equivalent of what the Japanese call the window office.

It is where they put their fark ups and let them do nothing but sit and stare out the window all day.

We think it is a promotion because of the title, they see it as a demotion because they don�t get to actually do anything. It�s still about saving face for Big Kenny and for Sony.

Demotion 1, Promotion 0.

[Wook @ Nov 30th 2006 5:41PM]

Wow, a foreigner. Ken isn't really Japanese.

[GioNYC @ Nov 30th 2006 5:47PM]

He's Holding Playstation 4 (bigger, heavier and twice the load)

[Tamyu @ Dec 1st 2006 1:13AM]

Oh, believe me, this is a BIG TIME demotion. I don`t know why people are saying it isn`t, but if you really do know anything about Japanese corporate structure, you wouldn`t.
To anyone looking at the change in position here in Japan, it`s a blatant demotion. They can`t exactly fire him, as there was success with the PS1 and 2, but they certainly don`t want him to have power over anything. Now every decision has to go through the higher-ups.

It`s about as close to saying "He screwed up big time with the PS3" as you can get without actually saying those words.