Sony's online platforms boss retiring

The president of Sony Network Entertainment International, which oversees PlayStation Network and other Sony media services, is retiring -- Sony Computer Entertainment head Andrew House will take over the role. SNEI manages the online video, music, and -- as of last year -- gaming services across Sony's hardware products. Its president, Tim Schaaff, plans to step down from his position at the end of the year, but he will remain on SNEI's board as an external director. Schaaff joined Sony after leaving Apple six years ago, and had been tasked with unifying the company's online platforms. He also helped lead Sony's press response when PlayStation Network was hacked last year and the personal information for millions of users was compromised. House has served as president and group CEO for SCE since his predecessor Kazuo Hirai was put on track to take over Sony Corp. last year. He will add Schaaff's responsibilities to his current duties during this transition, though it's unclear if another permanent replacement will eventually be named. Having worked at Sony for more than 20 years, House has played a key role in the launches for all of the company's consoles, from the original PlayStation to the PS Vita. He has also previously served as CEO for SCE Europe and chief marketing officer for Sony Corp. Schaaff's departure comes just a week after Sony reported declining sales for its game hardware and software in its second quarter earnings report. The company's revenues, however, are increasing, and Sony managed to cut its losses by nearly $150 million year-over-year.