Video games and their industry are constantly evolving. This sometimes pushes certain people, however important they may be in the hierarchy, to join structures that we would not necessarily have expected.
We know that the video game industry is a constant transfer window between increasingly regular waves of layoffs and sometimes a simple prospect of a new project. This is the case for certain big names in the industry who nevertheless seem iconic and attached to a studio. Arriving at a new company, such as Xbox, for example, this icon often has the objective of working firmly on a point and improving it, especially when this person in question comes from the biggest rival of this new employer.
Xbox recruits PlayStation talent for key position
Mena Sato Kato is not necessarily a name that speaks to the general public and yet she has worked in numerous positions at Sony since 1999. She left the Japanese firm in 2021 as vice-president of mobile activities. We learn, after a small update of her LinkedIn profile, that the latter has joined the great competitor of PlayStation and in a very important position. Thus, she is now director of partnerships in Japan for Xbox.
A rather atypical career path for this woman who worked for nearly 22 years for Sony, but which seems entirely logical for Xbox. Being from the Land of the Rising Sun, Mena Sato Kato will clearly be able to help Phil Spencer and the entire Xbox brand find important new partners in Japan. In the description of the LinkedIn post, we see in particular that she is responsible for partnerships with Japanese publishers for Xbox, since July 2023.
An important strategy for Microsoft
This recruitment is extremely important for Xbox which must strengthen its position in this market. We also know since the recent American trial which opposed the brand to the Federal Trade Commission (regulator of American markets) that plans to develop the importance of Xbox in Japan are underway. In particular, we were able to see that the American firm had looked into the acquisition of SEGA which, in addition to its importance in the history of video games, would have brought a much better relationship with Japan. We therefore understand that the Japanese market is still in the plans for Phil Spencer who wants to develop the image of his brand in the country.
Xbox has stepped up its efforts recently, notably thanks to the strengthened partnership with SEGA, but also with Square Enix. Recently the Japanese giant and Microsoft proudly announced a new collaboration to release FF14 next year on Xbox Series. The MMORPG should then be followed by other episodes of the license, with many hoping to finally see FF7 Remake land on both Microsoft consoles.