Sony appoints Hideaki Nishino as new PlayStation CEO effective April 2025
Big changes are coming to PlayStation, and Sony just made it official. Hideaki Nishino will take over as President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) starting April 1, 2025. This move isn’t exactly out of left field -- Sony hinted at a shift back in May 2024 when it split SIE into two business groups. Nishino got put in charge of the Platform Business Group, while Hermen Hulst took over the Studio Business Group. Now, Nishino is getting the top job, with Hulst still running first-party game development and reporting to him.
Meanwhile, Hiroki Totoki is stepping down as Chairman of SIE, but don’t worry -- he’s not going anywhere. He’s still the President, COO, and CFO of Sony Group Corporation. Lin Tao, currently an SVP handling finance, strategy, and development at SIE, is also moving up. She’s taking over as CFO of Sony Group Corporation, though Sony hasn’t said who will replace her at SIE just yet.
Totoki sounded optimistic about the transition, saying, “As we hand the baton to Nishino and this exceptional leadership team, I am confident that SIE will reach new heights in the days ahead.” He also praised Lin Tao, calling her a key player in SIE’s success.
Nishino has been with Sony since 2000, so he knows the PlayStation business inside and out. Most recently, he’s been leading the Platform Business Group, handling everything from hardware and services to third-party relations. He seems excited about the next chapter, saying, “Technology and creativity are two of our biggest strengths as we continue to focus on developing experiences that deliver entertainment for everyone.”
As for Hulst, he’ll keep leading PlayStation’s first-party content, making sure the big franchises keep rolling. He’s also in charge of bringing PlayStation games to new audiences through PlayStation Productions, which means more movie and TV adaptations of fan-favorite titles.
Sony is clearly gearing up for something big, and with Nishino now running the show, the PlayStation brand could be in for some major shifts. Whether that means more hardware innovation, deeper service integration, or new ways to milk its game franchises for all they’re worth, we’ll have to wait and see.