Sony announced through a press release today that the Sony Computer Entertainment and Sony Online Entertainment departments will finally be merging. The two companies will still remain largely independent from one another, but Kaz Hirai will now be heading up both departments. President John Smedley will now be reporting to Hirai directly. These changes are expected to take place on April 1, no joke though.
The opportunity presented to both companies seems to be nothing but positive as both Hirai and Smedley agree. Hirai was quoted as saying, "…excited to be able to work with SOE even more closely, as online games and services become a more integral part of the PS3 entertainment experience. This new structure will allow us to take full advantage of the extensive breadth of expertise of the two companies and increase our range of exciting entertainment offerings to our consumers."
Smedley seemed to be on the same page as expected, "…thrilled to become a part of the incredible team that has made PlayStation 3 the premier platform for next generation online gaming."
With the upcoming title, The Agency, it seems like this is going to be a great partnership not only in the near future but in the long-term future as well.