PlayStation VP Adam Boyes departs, announces ‘return to game development’

By Danny Cowan July 8, 2016

playstation exec adam boyes leaves sony header — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Sony Computer Entertainment America executive Adam Boyes announced that he is departing the company after spending the last four years as the PlayStation brand’s VP of publisher & developer relations.

Boyes expressed a desire to “return to the world of game development” as part of his departure, noting that he’s “going to make games again on the independent side.”

Boyes worked within multiple PlayStation divisions during his tenure, including Publisher Relations, Developer Relations, Portfolio Strategy, Financial Strategy, Partner Alliance, and Third Party Production. Sony has not yet announced how it intends to fill Boyes’ position at the company.

Serving as a public face for Sony’s PlayStation brand in recent years, Boyes announced major upcoming releases and initiatives at the Electronic Entertainment Expo and other events. Notably, Boyes starred alongside Sony Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida in a widely shared video poking fun at Microsoft’s presumptive plans to hobble the used games market prior to the launch of the Xbox One. Microsoft backtracked its plans shortly afterward, abandoning many promised features for its current-generation console.

In addition to tackling behind-the-scenes publishing initiatives, Boyes spent the last several years promoting Sony’s upcoming PlayStation VR headset. The PlayStation VR headset will arrive at retail in North America this October alongside multiple launch titles, including Batman: Arkham VR, Rigs: Mechanized Combat League, Eve: Valkyrie, Rez Infinite, and Eagle Flight.

Boyes is the PlayStation brand’s second major departure over the past week, following up on a similar announcement from senior product evaluator and lead account manager Nick Suttner.

Suttner announced his decision to leave after a seven-year stint with Sony, noting in his farewell message that he’s “off to new adventures.” Previously, Suttner worked to promote independent games and development studios as the PlayStation brand’s self-appointed “indie game champion.”

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