Ken Kutaragi steps down as Sony's chairman and CEO

Ken Kutaragi, the father of the PlayStation, has officially retired from his CEO role at Sony Computer Entertainment. As previously announced back in April, Kutaragi will be replaced by Kaz Hirai, former president of Sony Computer Entertainment America.

Despite enjoying great success with the previous two generations of the PlayStation game console, the lagging PlayStation 3 sales and failure to become an instant success on the market triggered his retirement. Kutaragi, however, will remain at SCEI as honorary chairman and senior technology advisor to Sir Howard Stringer, chairman and chief executive of Sony.

Ken Kutaragi has been an historic figure in the video games industry, responsible for taking video gaming into the CD era and creator of the Sony Computer Entertainment Inc division that took over the console games market in the early 2000s. Hopefully Kaz Hirai can fill Kutaragi’s shoes with ease and will take Sony’s gaming division back on track.