Phil Spencer pays tribute to ‘fierce leader’ Jim Ryan following his retirement announcement

Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has paid tribute to PlayStation boss Jim Ryan following the news that the Sony executive will retire from the Japanese gaming giant next year.

“Jim Ryan has been a great contributor to our industry and a fierce leader for PlayStation. I wish him the best in what he does next,” Spencer wrote on Twitter.

“Thank you for all you’ve done for the community over the last 30 years, Jim.”

It was announced on Wednesday that Ryan, who has worked at Sony for three decades, will leave his role as Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO and president in March 2024.

Sony Group Corporation president, COO and CFO Hiroki Totoki Hiroki will serve as interim CEO following Ryan’s departure.

In a statement concerning his departure, Ryan cited difficulties juggling his home life in Europe and work responsibilities in North America.

“After 30 years, I have made the decision to retire from SIE in March 2024,” he said. “I’ve relished the opportunity to have a job I love in a very special company, working with great people and incredible partners. But I’ve found it increasingly difficult to reconcile living in Europe and working in North America.

“I will leave having been privileged to work on products that have touched millions of lives across the world; PlayStation will always be part of my life, and I feel more optimistic than ever about the future of SIE. I want to thank Yoshida-san for placing so much trust in me and being an incredibly sensitive and supportive leader.”

Ryan has overseen the PlayStation business since 2019, including the launch of PS5.

The British exec has worked at Sony’s PlayStation division for nearly 20 years, and previously served as the boss of SIE’s European business and the head of global marketing.

Ryan could go out on a high if Sony meets it PS5 shipment target for the current fiscal year ending on March 31, 2024. It intends to ship 25 million PS5 consoles during this period, which would beat a 25-year-old console sales record set when the original PlayStation shipped 22.6 million units.