Former Sony Head Says He Ignored Leadership Orders to Benefit PlayStation

Former Sony president Kaz Hirai stated that while leading the gaming division, he frequently ignored directives from the corporate headquarters in Tokyo.

In an interview with a Japanese media outlet, former PlayStation head and ex-Sony president Kaz Hirai recalled how he and his team forged their own path when Sony’s management attempted to impose their ideas. According to Hirai, PlayStation had to determine its own direction of development.

Everything changed in 2012 when Hirai took charge of Sony during one of the most difficult periods in its history. The company was suffering losses, and more than 160,000 employees alongside shareholders monitored the new president’s actions.

To win the trust of the workers, Hirai personally visited facilities instead of limiting himself to orders from his office. Over his six years as president, he visited more than 20 countries and nearly 50 cities, returning to factories multiple times.

Sony’s recovery strategy was founded on the concept of “Kando”—creating products that evoke deep emotions. At first, employees considered it just another corporate slogan, but Hirai’s persistence helped make this idea the basis for device development.