PlayStation Announces Hermen Hulst And Hideaki Nishino As Its New CEO's!

[peter42O]

Sony naming co-CEO's wasn't on my bingo card but makes sense since both don't know shit about the other's job/position plus cuts the workload in half. Could turn out to be a really good move. Let them focus and concentrate on what they have knowledge and experience in. Looking forward to seeing how this goes.

Now just announce the PlayStation Showcase and I'll be happy!!!

 

[mibu no ookami]

Sony naming co-CEO's wasn't on my bingo card but makes sense since both don't know shit about the other's job/position plus cuts the workload in half. Could turn out to be a really good move. Let them focus and concentrate on what they have knowledge and experience in. Looking forward to seeing how this goes.

Now just announce the PlayStation Showcase and I'll be happy!!!

Not only does it cut the work in half but it brings the decision making one rung closer to the people who actually know what they're doing.

Not to say that Jim didn't know what he was doing, but now Herman and his team can make their own decisions and Nishino and his team can make their own decisions.

What's been rightfully pointed out is that they're going to need to really collaborate strongly, but there really hasn't been much collaboration between platform and games this generation anyways. Announcements are generally held individually.

I'm sure they'll have weekly 1:1s though to ensure they're on the same page.

 

[Yurinka]

I was expecting to choose someone with a more marketing/business/corporate suit profile, but I'm happy to see that instead they did choose not one, but two people who are used to work directly with the products.

Hermen has been the most successful ever PS Studios head, and is doing a great job growing it via hirings and acquisitions. I'm sure he'll continue doing a great job now also in charge of Bungie and the adaptaations to other mediums like movies or tv shows.

Regarding "Studio Business Group, which includes all of PlayStation’s first-party teams" sounds that they created it because they plan to add there more stuff in addition to PS Studios and Bungie. Another hint that in the next coming years they may make some big acquisition (which may be related to mobile gaming, don't get too excited).

Nishino also has a great career and I think he's a great choice to head hardware, accesories, PSN and 3r pàrty relations. He has been at SIE since 2006 (he was in Sony Ericcson too before that), also was in charge of PSN/Sony Network Entertainment (SNEI). And well, more recently he was in charge/overviewed the hardware, accesories, etc. Basically what he'll continue doing.

I think it's a good idea to split the job in half, I assume there's a lot of stuff there and better to have two persons instead of one. It also makes sure that each part has someone in charge always focused on that area, and is someone very experienced on it.

 

[peter42O]

Not only does it cut the work in half but it brings the decision making one rung closer to the people who actually know what they're doing.

Not to say that Jim didn't know what he was doing, but now Herman and his team can make their own decisions and Nishino and his team can make their own decisions.

What's been rightfully pointed out is that they're going to need to really collaborate strongly, but there really hasn't been much collaboration between platform and games this generation anyways. Announcements are generally held individually.

I'm sure they'll have weekly 1:1s though to ensure they're on the same page.

I agree but what do you mean by "hasn't been much collaboration between platform and games this generation"?

 

[Yurinka]

CEO of platforms?

Platforms isn't just hardware by the way.

Hopefully it's not as bad as many of us think.

But calling it "Platforms" has spooked me, I cant lie.

The Totoki mail published in the SIE webpage and the gamesindustry.biz article don't mention "platforms". They say "Platform" instead, and multiple times.

Meaning, PlayStation. Including its hardware, accesories like PSVR, PSN in all devices etc.

Damn… Hermen was the one who wanted PC releases faster and supposedly Jim blocked it. This sucks

The idea of expanding to PC was from Shawn Layden (SIE Chairman), Shuhei Yoshida (Prresident of PS Studios) and not sure if Andrew House or John Kodera (SIE CEO) and started there before Hermen became head of PS Studios and before Jim Ryan become CEO of SIE.

Later Hermen and Jim hired and acquired dedicated teams to make the ports, and to make sure these ports wouldn't affect the development of new games because are being done by separate, different teams, than the ones who make new games.

" Hermen was the one who wanted PC releases faster and supposedly Jim blocked it. This sucks" is something you made out because Sony never said something remotely close to that.

 

[AllBizness]

Two CEOs??? What is going on

Hulst is head of software development, the other CEO is over hardware and 3rd party relations, he's the guy that is going to ask devs what they want in PS6 1st and 3rd party.

 

[Yurinka]

All Herman has to do is show up with games and everyone will shut up.

He already released a ton of games as head of PS Studios. This week PS Studios will release their 7th rrelease of 2024:

• TLOU2 Remastered
• Helldivers 2
• MLB
• HFW PC
• Rise of the Ronin
• Stellar Blade
• GoT PC

 

[mibu no ookami]

I agree but what do you mean by "hasn't been much collaboration between platform and games this generation"?

Since the launch of the PS5, hardware hasn't really been aligned with software. Announcements are disparate, VR hasn't been supported much. Very little copromotion for audeze headsets e.t.c.

They definitely felt like two separate companies already.

 

[peter42O]

Since the launch of the PS5, hardware hasn't really been aligned with software. Announcements are disparate, VR hasn't been supported much. Very little copromotion for audeze headsets e.t.c.

They definitely felt like two separate companies already.

Okay gotcha. PSVR 2 has always been rumored to be a "Sony" decision as opposed to a "PlayStation" decision so the disconnect would make sense if that's true. Personally, I hope Sony ends VR and doesn't bother with it next generation.

 

[Nhomnhom]

He already released a ton of games as head of PS Studios. This week PS Studios will release their 7th rrelease of 2024:

• TLOU2 Remastered
• Helldivers 2
• MLB
• HFW PC
• Rise of the Ronin
• Stellar Blade
• GoT PC

Yep, no other PS Studio head did as great of a job suporting PC. PC really is the best place to play now.

 

[Danja]

He already released a ton of games as head of PS Studios. This week PS Studios will release their 7th rrelease of 2024:

• TLOU2 Remastered
• Helldivers 2
• MLB
• HFW PC
• Rise of the Ronin
• Stellar Blade
• GoT PC

Lol if I say what I really want to, I'm sure I'll get banned

 

[Danja]

Okay gotcha. PSVR 2 has always been rumored to be a "Sony" decision as opposed to a "PlayStation" decision so the disconnect would make sense if that's true. Personally, I hope Sony ends VR and doesn't bother with it next generation.

Yup! VR is an anchor

 

[Neversummer]

Idk how to feel about this. Herman Hulst has done nothing but have poor output from 1st party, mismanagement w the live service & push PC ports

 

[mibu no ookami]

Okay gotcha. PSVR 2 has always been rumored to be a "Sony" decision as opposed to a "PlayStation" decision so the disconnect would make sense if that's true. Personally, I hope Sony ends VR and doesn't bother with it next generation.

We all know that PS5 Pro is coming out this year. Any brand new AAA showcase title to push it?

 

[Yurinka]

Guys at leadt the part we csre for is managed by a Japanese. He will be responsible for negotiations (including M&A activities) and 3rd Party stuff. I feel he can save Sony's 3rd Party relationships. At leadt he will secure exclusive stuff. As CEO he can bring more Japanese games to PlayStation.

The M&A of 1st party studios will be handled by Hermen who will be in charge of everything related to 1st party studios and IPs.

"3rd party relations" division at SIE isn't related to acqusitions, it's the one that handles day to day relations between Sony and the 3rd party publishers regarding to the paperwork needed to publish a 3rd party game on PS, signing some exclusives, agreeing marketing stuff, providing them the needed devkits/test kits/tech suppot, paperwork and payment of the revenue cuts of the 3rd party games, etc. They work with every single 3rd party publisher on PS, with both the big publishers and the indies.

There are different executives in charge of 3rd party relations (Shuhei Yoshida being in charge of its subdivision PlayStation Indies), which I assume will continue doing the same they have been doing until now, and in the same way.

 

[TigerFang]

Joint CEOs sounds really interesting.

Herman is someone who I have always thought of as a great communicator and as someone who has lots of connections with different studios executives.

Hideaki AFAIK was involved in the development of PSVR2 & PS Portal, both of which are good devices that have grew the connection of userbases (though the VR isnt selling that much). So he is clearly interested on the hardware aspects.

Though I think Hideaki was overseeing the PS Portal directly. And the device is actually good to use and selling well.

 

[Yurinka]

Lol if I say what I really want to, I'm sure I'll get banned

Hopefully with a permaban, that would be great

The time this guy was in charge of PlayStation studios was the least productive period ever for them, that is very reminiscent of someone like Phil Spencer.

The time Hermen has been head of PS Studios is when their games got the best sales, biggest amount of awards and grew the amount of PS Studios gamedev teams, workforce and amount of games under development to the biggest one they ever had.

Hermen has been the most successful and productive head of PS Studios/SCE. Pretty likely this is the reason of why he has been promoted to CEO.

In the same way Jim Ryan was promoted to CEO because he was the most successful head of a regional division of SIE, and before that managing the marketing at such regional division (PS1/PS2 era).

 

[anonpuffs]

I hope it is Nishino

Dude worked at Ericsson and SCE as an engineer, one of the main architect in PS4. From what I heard he also top graduate at university at only 20.


Big brain energy like Cerny. I know Sony prefer bussiness guy like Kaz, Jimbo but big tech is in better hand with tech guy than business guy.

you called it man

 

[peter42O]

We all know that PS5 Pro is coming out this year. Any brand new AAA showcase title to push it?

Probably not but the Pro model is strictly for the hardcore and those who want the best high end console and in this regard, these people will buy it regardless. Showcase game for it won't matter for casuals and others.

 

[Danja]

Hopefully with a permaban, that would be great


The time Hermen has been head of PS Studios is when their games got the best sales, biggest amount of awards and grew the amount of PS Studios gamedev teams, workforce and amount of games under development to the biggest one they ever had.

Hermen has been the most successful and productive head of PS Studios/SCE. Pretty likely this is the reason of why he has been promoted to CEO.

The only upside would be never having to see your nonsense anymore.