Jim Ryan is stepping down as president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment.

The business executive is retiring from the senior position in March, after almost 30 years working for the PlayStation maker.

A Sony statement read: “Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) today announced that SIE President and CEO Jim Ryan has made the decision to retire in March 2024 after almost thirty years with the PlayStation business.

“To support Mr. Ryan in his transition, Sony Group Corporation President, COO and CFO Hiroki Totoki will assume the role of Chairman of SIE effective October 2023.

“Effective April 1, 2024, Mr. Totoki will be appointed Interim CEO of SIE while he continues his current role at Sony Group Corporation.”

The reason for his retirement is finding it impossible to live in Europe and work in North America.

In his own statement, Ryan said: “I’ve relished the opportunity to have a job I love in a very special company, working with great people and incredible partners. But I’ve found it increasingly difficult to reconcile living in Europe and working in North America."

Ryan worked at Sony before the very first PlayStation made its global debut in Japan.

Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida hailed Ryan for "overseeing the launch of PlayStation 5 in the midst of the global COVID pandemic". Adding that the next-gen machine is "on track to become SIE’s most successful console yet."

At the start of April, Hiroki Totoki will become the interim CEO of SIE.

He is also president, COO and CFO of Sony Group Corporation, and will recruit Ryan's replacement.