In a somewhat surprise announcement Sony Computer Entertainment has today revealed that Jack Tretton will be stepping down from his role as President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, a result from a mutual agreement between Mr. Tretton and SCEA not to renew their contractual relationship.

"Working at SCEA for the past 19 years has been the most rewarding experience of my career," said Tretton. "Although I will deeply miss the talented team at SCEA and the passion demonstrated every day by our fans, I'm very excited about starting the next chapter of my career. I want to thank the employees, partners and customers for their tireless commitment to the PlayStation brand and, of course, to our fans who have pushed us to new heights of innovation and entertainment over the past two decades. I leave PlayStation in a position of considerable strength and the future will only get brighter for PlayStation Nation."

Tretton's position will be replaced by Shawn Layden, who is currently Executive Vice President and COO of Sony Network Entertainment International. A 15-year PlayStation veteran, Layden was one of the founding members of SNEI in 2010, joining the company directly from Sony Computer Entertainment, where he most recently held the position of President, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan. His career at Sony Computer Entertainment also included eight years at SCE Worldwide Studios in London where he directed international software development.

"It's an honor and privilege to join Sony Computer Entertainment America and be a part of the team that is leading the next generation of gaming and entertainment," said Layden. "SCEA is committed to delivering breakthrough gaming experiences that inspire fans and exceed their wildest expectations. As PS4™ shows us every day, there has never been a better time to be part of the PlayStation community and I look forward to working with our retail, development, publishing and network partners to further demonstrate why PlayStation is the best place to play."

In related news, Sony Computer Entertainment has announced that their still fresh PlayStation 4 console has now sold through more than 6.0 million units globally as of March 2, 2014. This comes after Sony's home of Japan was finally able to get a hold of the console, with more than 300,000 selling within the first two days of sale.

As you’ve probably read by now, cumulative PS4 sales have now surpassed six million units worldwide following the successful launch in Japan just over a week ago. It’s truly humbling to see the rate at which gamers across the globe are choosing PS4 as their next gen console of choice. Even more exciting is what happens when gamers power up their PS4s. In the United States, more than 90% of PS4s are online, enabling gamers to connect, compete and share their greatness with friends and fellow gamers.

The resounding success has seen Sony's new home console see through more than 13.7 million in software sales according to the press release, putting it well ahead of the competition. A few of the top selling titles include Killzone: Shadow Fall, Knack, FIFA14 and Call of Duty: Ghosts, while Japanese gamers are seeing Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends Complete Edition and Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn as their top titles.

“I am absolutely delighted that PS4 is off to such a great start in Japan,” said Andrew House, President and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. “The responses we have received for the PS4 system’s integrated social capabilities have been phenomenal, and I couldn’t be more thrilled that gamers are utilizing these unique features to engage, share, play and connect with users around the world. SCE will continue to expand the world of PlayStation by growing its library of breakthrough games and bringing more innovative features and services only possible on PS4.”