The chaps at CVG have revealed that UK PlayStation head honcho Ray Maguire has parted ways with Sony.
Maguire’s departure ends a career spanning more than 17 years with the hardware manufacturer, with the former executive telling acquaintances that he has indeed “left the building.”
Having previously cut his teeth at SEGA as the firm’s UK sales manager, Maguire joined up with Sony Electronic Publishing Limited as Director of Sales, Europe, in 1993. Little more than a year later, he was promoted to UK MD of Sony Computer Entertainment.
Here, Maguire personally headed up the firm’s sales, marketing and operations divisions, and oversaw the launch of the original PlayStation in 1995.
Achieving meteoric success, the platform tapped into a more mature demographic virtually untouched by its competitors, a feat which would later be replicated with PlayStation 2 in 2000.
Sony subsequently went on to dominate the hardware space into the new millennium, seeing off the likes of the Dreamcast, GameCube and Xbox in the process.
"Having been here right from the start and after a lot of soul searching, I feel that now is the right time for me to move on," Maguire commented.
"I am confident that I can leave the business in the hands of the brilliant teams here in the UK and across Europe that I’ve had the honour of working with. I’ve made so many great friends during my time here and although the thought of leaving was quite tough, it is essential for me to continue to grow."
"In a career at SCE spanning over 17 years, Ray has helped establish PlayStation as a household name and a major entertainment brand," added Andrew House, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE).
"Ray is consumer focused and over the years has built and maintained a reputation as one of the industry’s most respected senior figures. We wish him luck in his future endeavours."