Breaking: Phil Harrison resigns from Sony Computer Entertainment

87 Comments by Scott Jon Siegel Feb 25th 2008 6:23AM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Business

Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Phil Harrison has announced his formal resignation from the company, due to go into effect on February 29. Sony officially broke word of his resignation this morning.

Taking his place will be SCEI president and group CEO Kazuo Hirai, who will assume Harrison's duties on top of his own. It's unknown at the moment whether Sony will begin seeking out a replacement for Harrison, or whether Hirai's full-time responsibilities will engulf those of the former Worldwide Studios president.

First joining Sony back in 1992, Phil Harrison helped launch the first Playstation console, and has since played a major role in SCE's business, including presenting Sony's landmark keynote at last year's GDC. In a public statement, Harrison states that he is incredibly grateful to his "Playstation family," and will continue to support the platform and company in the future.

Tags: breakingnews, phil-harrison, philharrison, sony

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(Page 1) Reader Comments

Thoas: Feb 25th 2008; 6:26AM

Good luck with everything phil.

Andrex (NDF - Host): Feb 25th 2008; 6:29AM

Could this be because of his recent comment about the Wii?

Shadow El: Feb 25th 2008; 7:02AM

He makes (er, MADE) lots of comments about the Wii, so that couldn't be it.

I actually found this as kind of a surprise.

Corbo: Feb 25th 2008; 7:11AM

True, but I think Andrex is referring to his recent statements made about the Wii being a good idea and Sony's Japanese execs being very resistant to the social gaming idea.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=33412

Criticises his bosses and then "resigns" a few days later... The question is, did he actually get pushed out because of his comments or did he make the comments because he knew he was leaving and could get away with it?

Eggy: Feb 25th 2008; 8:13AM

He already had a new job lined up so no he wasn't pushed out. Although they probably weren't too happy with his statements though.

Steve: Feb 25th 2008; 10:28AM

Yup. Old Phil pulled a "Sony" and shoved that foot right in his mouth last week. The Japanese would NOT have been happy with him I'd imagine. I mean, he basically called them out last week. A no, no, is business anyway, but a capitol offense in the Japanese business world. Phil was probably "offered a package as they say.

Co: Feb 25th 2008; 3:54PM

nice linkage Corbo. The only ppl in denial are the ones that don't agree with Phil. These are the same ppl bashing Nintendo in the Academy Awards article above this one. Nintendo bringing gaming back where it belongs!

Pom: Feb 25th 2008; 6:38AM

Good luck at Atari, Phil :P

embassy: Feb 25th 2008; 6:38AM

what a way to start the morning.

out of all the horrid sony PR over the last few years...no one knew how to spin it like Mr Harrison. he was one of the more positive/likable personalities at that firm.

wish him the best.

FOXHOUND: Feb 25th 2008; 7:02AM

If the head-offices of the MLB are even remotely smart - they'll scoop up Phil as soon as possible to spin doctor this whole "Steroid Era" of baseball into "Oops, I didn't mean to sit on that human growth hormone needle, my bad".

passing thru: Feb 25th 2008; 6:39AM

i heard a lot of people trying to downplay his criticisms of sony japan at gdc, but this sure makes it seem like it was the tip of the iceberg. sony had just seemed like they were making some strides forward of late, but i don't see how this really helps all that much.

Kurifurisan: Feb 25th 2008; 6:50AM

Well, that sucks. I wonder where Phil is headed to now.

Phranctoast: Feb 25th 2008; 6:59AM

sucks. I liked him the best out of any Sony rep.

Fatalassassain: Feb 25th 2008; 3:22PM

me too....he was my idol from sony!!!! Im sad now:(

Curmeo: Feb 25th 2008; 7:02AM

thanks for all the great PlayStation products and games, Phil. you will be missed.

Brucie B: Feb 25th 2008; 7:03AM

Poor Phil, wait I could care less Later Chump!

So who else is leaving.... or 'Let Go' it seems that's all what sony does..

Chyld989: Feb 25th 2008; 8:03AM

"Poor Phil, wait I could care less Later Chump!"

No no, you COULDN'T care less. That is to say that it would not be possible for you to care any less than you already do, instead of what you said, which was that you DO care, and therefore could care less.

On topic: Like others have said, Phil was one of the few (if not the old) Sony exec I could stand. Good luck at Atari.

Ravi: Feb 25th 2008; 7:07AM

GI.biz states he'll be joining Atari with ex-EA executive David Gardner
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=33463

AwesomeStuff: Feb 25th 2008; 7:13AM

Dont let the door hit ya on the way out lol

Mills and Boom: Feb 25th 2008; 8:01AM

The rats are leaving the sinking ship!

John McPoop: Feb 25th 2008; 8:28AM

@Mills and Boom

Nice metaphor!!! But I don't think it applies here as Sony is just hitting it's second wind.

samfish: Feb 25th 2008; 9:48AM

Exactly. All the rats are shouting "WAAAAATER SPOOOOUT!" and high-tailing (get it? GET IT?!) it off the ship.

deivn: Feb 25th 2008; 7:13AM

This comes really as no surprise. The man's job was to give the PS3 a positive image, and he failed to do so every single time he opened his mouth.

It's really not surprising to me that people who have been with the "Playstation family" (what is this, a PS3 sales spin press release?) since 1995 are all leaving.

Killer: Feb 25th 2008; 7:43AM

"The man's job was to give the PS3 a positive image, and he failed to do so every single time he opened his mouth."

Honesty, you really couldn't spin, what Sony did. Seriously, Phil isn't the only person at fault as to the PS3's image. About every Sony exec. is to blame for making out landish comments about it, when they should have kept their mouths shut. I think the only person that could spinned it prefectly would have been baghdad bob, (or prehaps Truth Teller from Engadget). I'm sure though that Phil won't have a problem finding another job. I'm sure Microsoft wouldn't mind him on the team.

Eggy: Feb 25th 2008; 8:16AM

Oh I knew this topic would attract teh fanboys. They've been having such a hard time this year. If you talk about spinning, you guys are masters of it.

DMeisterJ: Feb 25th 2008; 7:17AM

Guess you shouldn't talk stuff about your own company. They probably fired him because of him talking about SCEJ.

Supino: Feb 25th 2008; 7:19AM

he's a smart guy.

Wonder what he's up to now?

Zsavior: Feb 25th 2008; 7:19AM

That explains his behavior at GDC attacking and barking at everything, he was getting everything off his chest before he quit. Barking openly about sony Japan thinking they drop the ball. Saying desperate things about the WII in morning conferences he was acting erratic I was going to say he sounded desperate but this explains everything.

AwesomeStuff: Feb 25th 2008; 7:21AM

Yep!

Tesley: Feb 25th 2008; 7:48AM

Good luck with everything Phil

ThornedVenom (Ludwig Defense Force): Feb 25th 2008; 8:01AM

NoOOOoOoooOooooooo....

One less exec to bash on.

foxDie: Feb 25th 2008; 8:03AM

Phil Harrisson left because the guy sucks at his job.

I've never been convinced by the guy. Now Peter Moore, there is a guy who is good at what he does.

Fanboy you cry? I own a wii and a PC

hotnutz: Feb 25th 2008; 8:30AM

heh heh.. Peter Moore could spin the best of them but with a face like his, I'm more inclined to believe the devil.

Good luck Phil - I also feel that he was the more positive public person @ Sony. Maybe he and Peter Moore should start a marketing company called "SpinWorld".

Sir.sinho: Feb 25th 2008; 9:31AM

@foxdie

Saying your a not fanboy because you own a Wii (im not even gonna start about owning a PC) is as stupid as saying "I cant be anti-Muslims because one lives in my building".

NATO_Duke: Feb 25th 2008; 10:28AM

Sir.sinho - are you not going to start on the PC because most people in the US own one - and its just plain ignorant to then assume they are all 360 fanboys?

He was saying he isn't a fanboy because he doesn't have one. It makes pretty good sense that he wouldn’t be impassioned by one side over the other if he isn’t a user/owner of one. People aren't fanboys of something just because they have one in their apartment building. You were stretching to criticize – and your analogy misses the mark.

__
Anyway, GL to Phil at Atari - maybe he can get that company rolling again.

John McPoop: Feb 25th 2008; 8:25AM

I think this had more to do with him talking bad about SCEJ and social gaming than any wii comments. Maybe this will keep Soy execs from talking so much BS all the time and being negative.

carg0: Feb 25th 2008; 8:26AM

he was the only Sony exec who spoke candidly and never tried to weave any bullshit into his statements. always sincere and confident but never to the point of coming across as arrogant or combative.

I've never disliked Kaz Harai but there's no way to spin this as anything but a loss for Sony.

Christian: Feb 25th 2008; 8:38AM

Ok fanboys and fangirls, I have a radical suggestion to explain his departure....drumroll...after 16 years at the company he felt it was time to try somewhere else. Yes, as radical as it sound lifetime employment in one company isn't the norm anymore and people do move on at various times. 16 years at one company is actually quite a lot these days.

Steve: Feb 26th 2008; 1:45AM

Sure a he's just going to pick up and move to "greener pastures" right at the start of the "big year for the PS3." Phil either got shown the door, or something not good is coming down the pipe. Take that for what you will but you leave for a better job on the downswing, or just ahead of one, not the other way around.

Kewlrats: Feb 25th 2008; 8:47AM

I'm pretty confident Phil resigned because Juno didn't win at the Oscars.

Benny: Feb 25th 2008; 10:49AM

It won Best Original Screenplay.

Kewlrats: Feb 25th 2008; 10:51AM

I think phunky Phil had all his Juno marbles on the Best Picture award.

ScottG13: Feb 25th 2008; 8:56AM

I'll miss Phil. A great guy for the industry, overall. I hope he finds success in his future endeavors.

maverick_saturn_626: Feb 25th 2008; 9:00AM

I wouldn't say they were desperate attacks at all, if not, all very much true.

I like Phil, why does he have to go :(

NATO_Duke: Feb 25th 2008; 10:30AM

Because he wants to. Shouldn't we all move on to another job when we like?

MRBlue: Feb 25th 2008; 9:00AM

This is like when I heard that John Ritter or Heath Ledger died: I just didn't want to accept the reality of the situation.

This is quite possibly the WORST news for Sony in their time of triumph. With Blu-ray winning the format wars as well as all the great games coming down the pipe this year, why would Phil leave now? It just doesn't add up.

Regardless of his disapproval of the Japanese it can't be that bad. But then again, he sees and knows a lot more about the coming years then we could ever know and maybe what he saw 2 years down the line for the PS3 didn't gel with him.

Why Sony let him go in the first place is beyond me. This is when they need him the most.

Hopefully Kaz can do a good job but I'm hoping they can get someone that was just under Phil to take over. Maybe someone from the PS Home group.

Aww, heck who am I kidding. COME BACK PHIL!!! PLEASE COME BACK!!!!

Brian Jarrett: Feb 25th 2008; 10:24AM

Nobody will notice him gone. Only a hand full of people who own and buy consoles follow this crap.

deaftly: Feb 25th 2008; 12:00PM

You know you're a fanboy if you obsess over shit like this. christ.

Matt B: Feb 25th 2008; 9:01AM

darthvadernoooooo.gif

Dahk: Feb 25th 2008; 9:25AM

Yeah, I thought he was one of the best executive faces of Sony. Great person with seemingly loads of enthusiasm towards his products, honest about his views, and willing to put on good shows =P.

But then again, his role as President obviously has other much massiver responsibilities than being a PR guy =P.

Wish you all the best Phil.

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