Shawn Layden Reveals Why He Left Sony PlayStation

It’s been almost two years since former Sony Worldwide Studios head Shawn Layden suddenly left the company, announced to the world with nothing more than a tweet. Fans have speculated the reasoning since time and time again, but now the man himself has broken his silence. Speaking to Bloomberg, Layden explains he was becoming burnt out with the industry as a whole. “It’s a young person’s activity. I felt: This is a good time to put the pin in my legacy.”

He goes on to explain that after helping to launch big PS4 exclusives like Horizon Zero Dawn and God of War, he saw the opportunity as the chance to go out on top. “That seemed like a good time to step off on top and allow another generation to take the PlayStation 5 to market.” The conversation then moves on to the rumours surrounding a power struggle between him and current Sony boss Jim Ryan, but Layden didn’t get into specifics. “I think I took my time at the moment I saw best to take it. And I couldn’t be happier.”

So, there we have it: Shawn Layden says he left Sony because he was burnt out with the industry and grabbed the chance to leave on a high after leading the PS4 to so much success. PlayStation fans have always held a soft spot for Shawn Layden since, with many turning to him on Twitter when they dislike the current course of the company. Of course, he shows his appreciation by liking their tweets.