Sony Merges PlayStation Division with Sony Network Entertainment

Sony announced today that it is combining Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) (the division that creates the company’s PlayStation hardware) and Sony Network Entertainment, which runs the PlayStation Vue streaming TV and the PlayStation Store, into a single business unit.


The new firm, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), will be headquartered in San Mateo, California, and kick off operations on April 1, 2016. It will be headed by president and global CEO Andrew House. Until now, SCE was headquartered in Tokyo. Today’s announcement will see the Japanese company move base to the US, where its subsidiary SCE America has its head office.

According to the CEO, "Users of PlayStation apps and consoles will likely not notice any changes in its services". The move comes almost a year after Sony spun off its audio and video business into a wholly owned subsidiary. Two years ago, the company sold its Vaio PC brand. Today’s restructuring could be a sign that the company wants to hunker down on one of its few remaining profit-making divisions.