It’s all change at Sony Computer Entertainment HQ, with a number of high profile Sony bods due to move to new roles within Sony. First up SCEE CEO Andrew House is set to replace Kaz Hirai as group president and CEO of SCE International. Hirai-san becomes international chairman of SCE. Jim Ryan, current Executive Vice President and Co-COO of SCEE will take over as CEO of SCEE.

Sony have also announced the retirement of current chairman Akira Sato. He said “I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the great support from third party game developers and publishers, and particularly to the wonderful creators all over the world. Without the great content from a wide spectrum of genres made by third party game developers and publishers, as well as SCE Worldwide Studios, PlayStation would not be where it is now.”

Finally the ‘father of PlayStation’ Ken Kutaragi will be stepping down from his role of Honorary Chairman of SCE, fear not as he will remain his role as senior technology adviser of Sony Corporation.

These changes come about after Sony shareholders, yesterday called for Sony CEO Howard Stringer to step down following the PlayStation Network intrusion and falling sales following the Japan Earthquake disaster.