Shawn Layden, the former head of Sony Interactive Entertainment America, has publicly commented on recent moves by Xbox. In LinkedIn posts, he described the changes as reflecting a misunderstanding of the industry.
Layden responded to a list of Xbox actions that included a new CEO, a rebrand, new tech hires, and plans to close studios such as Ninja Theory, Double Fine, and Compulsion Games. He wrote that the moves show “a basic misunderstanding of how the interactive entertainment world moves.”
In a follow-up comment, Layden added that “the SpaceX euphemism may apply here: ‘Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly’.” He noted that “the last couple weeks have been a real roller coaster” and expressed sympathy for the affected development teams.
Layden previously led the launch of the PS5, which has sold over 93 million units, and oversaw the acquisition of Insomniac Games. He has previously voiced concerns about industry consolidation affecting creativity at smaller studios.
