Father of PlayStation Calls It A Day News

The heavy political cost of Sony's apparent failures with the PlayStation3 was highlighted today, with confirmation from Sony Computer Entertainment that Ken "Father of PlayStation" Kuturagi would be retiring from his position as the head of Sony Computer Entertainment and Group Executive Officer from June 19th. Born in 1950, Kuturagi-san hasn't quite reached the standard age for retirement across Japan, which combined with the struggles that the PS3 faces, suggests that politics were behind the decision instead of just wanting further time to water the garden.

Once considered the saviour of Sony and a likely candidate for the role of President over Sony Corp, failures to deliver on the promise of the PlayStation3 and sliding performances saw Kutaragi-san demoted from the board of directors in a controversial shake-up during 2005. Since then well-documented manufacturing issues and further problems with the PlayStation3 have chipped away at Kutaragi's reputation, particularly it's failings to introduce any significant advantages over the Xbox 360 at a time when he famously labelled Microsoft's efforts as closer to "Xbox 1.5" and chasing after the PlayStation2.

Although issues surrounding the PlayStation3 appear to have been addressed, the format still faces an uncertain future compared to the success of its predecessors. Additionally the failure of the PSP to match the runaway success of the Nintendo DS must surely have caused a few further question marks over Kuturagi's recent decisions. PlayStation plays a crucial factor in Sony's profit-line, so the decision to make a change now seems to suggest that Sony President Howard Stringer believes now is the time to address these problems.

Confirming the appointment of Kazuo Hirai to the position of President and Group CEO, it's believed that Kuturagi-san services will be retained in the role of Senior Technology Advisor; however, there can be little doubt that the man who masterminded the PlayStation from its inception to the present day, will mark a significant shift for the future of the format.

"I am happy to graduate from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. after introducing four platforms to the PlayStation family," said Ken Kutaragi, Chairman and Group CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. "It has been an exciting experience to change the world of computer entertainment by marrying cutting edge technologies with creative minds from all over the world. I'm looking forward to building on this vision in my next endeavors."

"Ken Kutaragi is a rare combination of a powerful visionary and entrepreneur in one figure," said Howard Stringer, Chairman and CEO, Sony Corporation. "Not only has he created a multi-billion dollar business for the Sony Group, he has brought the industry into a new dimension. Sony has benefited tremendously from his vision, his 2/2 creative genius, and from the very strong team he assembled and nurtured. As Ken moves forward to pursue new opportunities, we will encourage and support him. My support also goes to Kazuo Hirai, who is a terrific executive with a proven track record with PlayStation business in the US. I am confident that he will inspire and lead SCEI to new heights."