Word just came down that long time president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, Jack Tretton will step down from his position effective March 31st of this year.
Mister Tretton had this to say in a press release:
Working at SCEA for the past 19 years has been the most rewarding experience of my career. Although I will deeply miss the talented team at SCEA and the passion demonstrated every day by our fans, I'm very excited about starting the next chapter of my career. I want to thank the employees, partners and customers for their tireless commitment to the PlayStation brand and, of course, to our fans who have pushed us to new heights of innovation and entertainment over the past two decades. I leave PlayStation in a position of considerable strength and the future will only get brighter for PlayStation Nation.
Jack Tretton has been with Sony since the beginning in 1995. He was there to see the launches of the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Network, PlayStation Vita and of course, the PlayStation 4.
His replacement, Shawn Layden, is a 15 year PlayStation veteran. His career with Sony includes eight years at SCE Worldwide Studios in London where he directed international software development, among other things. He was also a founding member of SNEI, joining the company directly from Sony Computer Entertainment.
Layden had this to say:
It's an honor and privilege to join Sony Computer Entertainment America and be a part of the team that is leading the next generation of gaming and entertainment. SCEA is committed to delivering breakthrough gaming experiences that inspire fans and exceed their wildest expectations. As PS$ shows us every day, there has never been a better time to be part of the PlayStation community and I look forward to working with our retail, development, publishing and network partners to further demonstrate why PlayStation is the best place to play.
We wish Jack Tretton the best of luck in all of his future endeavors.
[UPDATE]
Jack Tretton just posted a message to the Playstation fans over on the PlayStation Blog:
PlayStation Nation,
It is with mixed feelings that I inform you that I will be stepping down as President and CEO of SCEA effective March 31, 2014. This is a result of a mutual agreement with SCEA, and I leave knowing that the PlayStation brand has never been stronger, PlayStation 4 momentum continues to accelerate, and the future will only get brighter for our gamers.
Serving PlayStation fans for the past 19 years has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my career. Your passion for gaming inspired me every day.
I want to thank you for constantly pushing PlayStation to deliver breakthrough gaming and entertainment experiences, and to never settle for “good enough.” The embodiment of this commitment can be found in the PS4, which has quickly become the #1 next-gen console worldwide…thanks to you.
We’ve shared many memories over the past two decades and I’ll always be grateful for your support.
Thank you,
Jack Tretton