14 DAY TRIAL // Sony Computer Entertainment of America announces that Jack Tretton is set to step down as both president and chief executive officer of the company on March 31 of this year, after the two entities have agreed not to renew their contractual relationship.
Shawn Layden, who is at the moment the executive vice president and chief operations officer at Sony Network Entertainment International is set to occupy both positions starting on April 1.
Tretton is quoted by AllGamesBeta as saying that "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."
The executive also says that the PlayStation brand is currently more powerful than it's ever been and believes that it will continue to grow in the coming years under the leadership of Sony.
Jack Tretton has been working with the company since 1995 and was involved with the launch of the original PlayStation, the PlayStation 2, the PlayStation Portable, the PlayStation 3, the PlayStation Network service, and the PlayStation Vita handheld.
He was also instrumental in the successful 2013 release of the PlayStation 4 home console, which has managed to sell more than 6 million units worldwide since November of last year and is currently ahead of the Xbox One from Microsoft.
Shawn Layden adds, "SCEA is committed to delivering breakthrough gaming experiences that inspire fans and exceed their wildest expectations. As PS4 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."
Andrew House, who is currently leading the Sony Computer Entertainment group, says that he wants to thank Jack Tretton for the years of service and for his contribution to the success of PlayStation, while also welcoming his replacement.
Sony now has the PlayStation 4 offered all over the world and the company says that in the coming months the device should be produced in enough numbers to make sure that all those who want a console can buy it in stores.
The next big initiative for the next-gen console is the launch of the streaming-powered PlayStation Now service, which will be delivered in the United States during the summer.