Shawn Layden, the chairman of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Worldwide Studios, is exiting the top role overseeing the company’s PlayStation games development. The news came Monday in a tweet from Sony’s official PlayStation account.
“It is with great emotion that we announce that Worldwide Studios Chairman Shawn Layden will be departing SIE,” reads the tweet. “His visionary leadership will be greatly missed. We wish him success in future endeavors and are deeply grateful for his years of service. Thanks for everything, Shawn!”
No replacement for Layden, a stalwart at PlayStation’s E3 presentations who started his career in Sony communications, was tipped today.
Layden, who had been at Sony since 1987, had been one of the founding members of Sony Network Entertainment International, before that holding the position of Sony Computer Entertainment Japan president. His SCE career included directing international software development at SCE Worldwide Studios in London.
Layden was EVP and COO of SNEI in March 2014 when he took over for departing Sony Computer Entertainment America president and CEO Jack Tretton, a founding member of the exec team.
In May, Layden was tipped to oversee PlayStation Productions, a Sony-based shingle with aims to adapt games IP for film and TV. The first project is a film based on the company’s Uncharted video game series created by Naughty Dog, with Tom Holland starring and Travis Knight recently coming aboard to direct.