- Playstation boss Jim Ryan is retiring after 28 years at the company, he said Wednesday.
- Ryan said he found it difficult to "reconcile living in Europe and working in North America."
The head of PlayStation and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment said he's retiring to avoid the stress of constant travel for work.
Jim Ryan said he would leave after 30 years at Sony. He is British and lives in the UK — but was often needed in both the US and Japan.
In a statement published on Wednesday, Ryan said he found it increasingly difficult to reconcile living in Europe and working in North America," despite loving his job.
"PlayStation will always be part of my life, and I feel more optimistic than ever about the future of SIE," Ryan added.
The 63-year-old told Insider's Dave Smith in November 2020 that he used to split his months visiting PlayStation's various offices.
The COVID-19 pandemic put his busy lifestyle on standby, which was a "liberating realization" for him, Ryan said.
"I don't think I'm performing that differently from when I was traveling here, there, and everywhere," he told Insider. "I think that's been a huge learning, and I think I'm not alone in that."
He also said that working from home allowed his employees to have a little extra time to "richen their lives."
Ryan joined Sony in 1994, just before the first PlayStation console was introduced. He is due to depart Sony in March 2024.
The company hasn't named a permanent successor, but said Hiroki Totoki would become interim CEO of the games business when Ryan leaves.