Hard to know what's really happening here, but Bloomberg is reporting that "Ken Kutaragi, the developer of Sony Corp.'s PlayStation game console, stepped aside from day-to-day management of the unit after production delays forced the company to slash shipment targets."
Kaz Hirai, head of the U.S. game division, will take over as president of Sony Computer Entertainment, the Tokyo-based company said in a statement today. Kutaragi, 56, will become chairman of the unit. Jack Tretton, now co-chief operating officer of the U.S. division, will replace Hirai.
Sony Chief Executive Officer Howard Stringer is counting on the PlayStation 3 to revive a company that has lost almost half its market value in the past six years. Kutaragi, a 30-year Sony veteran, cut 2006 shipment targets by half in September because of parts shortages.
Comment: The PlayStation 3 has been a disaster from top to bottom, and the hardware is being sold at a huge loss. Worse, because of production problems, it's running a poor third in the next generation stakes. Itr's hardly surprising if Howard now feels Ken has to be kicked upstairs. Whether Kaz Hirai is capable of rescuing the PlayStation 3 is another matter.
