Previous PlayStation boss Shawn Layden teases fans with his new project, a TV series he believes will be the gaming equivalent of Mad men. The former CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment has been keeping busy since leaving the PlayStation juggernaut in 2019, after assuming the role of president in 2014. After spending a couple of years away from the gaming industry, Layden would take on an advisory position for Chinese gaming titan Tencent Games, serving in the position from 2022 to 2024. the near future.
While Layden has unofficially “retired” from the gaming industry, the former boss has continued to work behind the scenes. Alongside his aforementioned time with Tencent, Shawn Layden has been involved in several startups, with several centered around the gaming industry. While Layden has yet to officially reveal any of his in-development projects, he did confirm in a recent interview that he was in the process of developing a television series. Now, Shawn Layden is suggesting that his series in development could take some inspiration from the beloved drama series Mad men.
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Former PlayStation CEO Shawn Layden teases next project
During a recent interview with Game Rants' Character Select, Shawn Layden gave a brief teaser about a TV series he's working on developing. He equated the show to being something like “what Mad men is for advertising,” suggesting that the project is likely to be a drama series centered around the gaming industry. Mad mens premise focuses heavily on the inner workings of the advertising industry, potentially hinting at Layden's series focusing on the gaming industry and what goes on behind closed doors. Layden was clear about creating his series as a more story- and narrative-focused approach to game development, emphasizing a dramatic approach rather than a documentary-style series.
Shawn Layden's involvement with a Mad menseries that focus on games can draw from his years of experience at Sony. Layden first joined Sony well before the debut of the original PlayStation, and was hired as a member of the company's communications department in 1987. Layden worked his way up through the ranks at Sony in positions around the world, serving as vice president and president of Sony's entertainment divisions in both Europe and Japan. Layden also hinted at another new game industry project during the interview, a “new publishing platform” focused more heavily on connecting developers with fans.
Layden's comments about the growing disconnect between developers and fans come as social media has become more important than ever in gaming. Many developers and studios use social media platforms like Twitter to communicate directly with their fans, from providing patch notes and teasing new content to seeking feedback. The importance of game studios being transparent and responsive to their fans has even led to the introduction of the “Best Community Support” category at the annual Game Awards. Layden also stressed that games are poised to “enter a new era”, with publishers needing to rethink their relationships and support for their developers.
Shawn Layden's discussion of the changing gaming industry comes as the gaming world has seen some big changes since his time with PlayStation. Indie developers have been on the rise in recent years, with one indie game even nabbing “Game of the Year” at the 2025 Game Awards in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. New markets have also begun to gain a stronger foothold in the gaming industry, with Saudi Arabia and China emerging players in modern gaming. Shawn Layden's teased TV series could be a fresh look at the inner workings of an ever-changing gaming business.
