Veteran PlayStation boss Jack Tretton to step down

Sony Computer Entertainment America CEO Jack Tretton will step down from his position at the PlayStation company at the end of the month.

"This is a result of a mutual agreement between Mr. Tretton and SCEA not to renew their contractual relationship," Sony said in a statement.

Sony Network Entertainment International (SNEI) VP and COO Shawn Layden will become CEO of SCEA effective April 1, 2014.

Tretton has worked at SCEA since the group was created in 1995 and was a founding member of the company's executive team. He was involved in the launch of all PlayStation platforms in North America, including the original PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PSP, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Network, PlayStation Vita, and of course, the PlayStation 4.

"Working at SCEA for the past 19 years has been the most rewarding experience of my career," Tretton said in a statement. "Although I will deeply miss the talented team at SCEA and the passion demonstrated every day by our fans, I'm very excited about starting the next chapter of my career. 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. I leave PlayStation in a position of considerable strength and the future will only get brighter for PlayStation Nation."

It is unclear why Tretton has decided to leave PlayStation or what he will do next. The announcement of his departure from the company comes during the same week that Sony announced that the PS4 had sold over 6 million units to date.

As for his replacement, Layden was a founding member of SNEI in 2010. He also worked at Sony Computer Entertainment, including eight years at SCE Worldwide Studios in London where he oversaw internal software development.

"It's an honor and privilege to join Sony Computer Entertainment America and be a part of the team that is leading the next generation of gaming and entertainment," Layden said. "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."

Sony Computer Entertainment president and Group CEO Andrew House added a statement of his own, thanking Tretton for his contributions to the company and welcoming Layden to the group.

"I've worked with Jack for nearly two decades and I want to personally thank him for his leadership and the considerable contributions he's made to the SCEA business and PlayStation brand over the years. I wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors," House said. "I also want to welcome Shawn to the Sony Computer Entertainment America team. I have the utmost confidence in Shawn's leadership capabilities, and his deep knowledge of the gaming industry and commitment to gamers, will help keep PlayStation at the forefront of entertainment and innovative gameplay."