Sony Computer Entertainment Spins Off PSN [Sony Merges, Renames Divisions, PSN Comes Closer To Being Outside The PS3]

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Today, Sony played some strange legal cards as they spun PlayStation Network off from Sony Computer Entertainment and started its own Sony subsidiary called “SNEP”. Recently, we reported on the fact that Sir Howard Stringer, CEO of Sony, imagined the PlayStation Network existing across multiple Sony products, including Bravia HDTVs, Sony Ericsson mobile phones and Vaio computers.

Although you may think that Sony Computer Entertainment (the Sony division behind PlayStation and all the first-party games published by Sony) is simply a division of Sony, it’s actually its own company, albeit one owned 100% by Sony.

In the move announced today, Sony Computer Entertainment is going to be renamed “SNEP” and merged with Sony, however, the real kick is that before this happens – everything that Sony Computer Entertainment currently does, except for PSN stuff, is going to spun off to a new wholly-owned Sony company called “Sony Computer Entertainment”. Real original, huh?

In layman’s terms, Sony is taking PlayStation Network from Sony Computer Entertainment and transferring it to the mothership Sony Corporation. Production of the PS3s will be unaffected, as will game development and publishing that’s being done by SCE-America and SCE-Europe. SCE Boss Kaz Hirai will remain head of the ‘new’ Sony Computer Entertainment.

What does this mean? Sony wants the PlayStation Network under their banner, not SCE’s. In case the quotes of Sir Howard from last week weren’t enough proof for you that Sony plans to push PSN to HDTVs, computers and mobile phones, then this should be more than enough to convince you.