Sony Interactive Entertainment has tapped Ben King, a former Apple services executive, as senior vice president of direct-to-consumer, overseeing the PlayStation Store and PlayStation’s games division’s DTC business.
At Sony Interactive Entertainment, King reports to Veronica Rogers, SVP, Head of Global Sales and Business Operations. Most recently, King was chief subscription officer at sports streaming venture DAZN, where he led marketing, distribution and growth before leaving in mid-2022. Prior to joining DAZN in 2019, he spent more than 12 years at Apple, where has held various positions in international marketing, business development and general management at iTunes, App Store and Apple Music.
Commenting on his new role at SIE, King said: “PlayStation Store has become one of the most visited digital media stores on the planet. This gives us a unique opportunity to think creatively about our relationship with our users, helping them unlock the maximum fun and enjoyment from the PlayStation ecosystem, while creating a financial opportunity for our game studio partners.”
According to Sony, PlayStation’s digital services are used by more than 100 million monthly active users. “We have the ability to better serve our community by providing more personalized experiences, helping each customer discover the perfect entertainment for them, through the right channel, at the right time,” said King.
Inspired by a year-long study sabbatical in Japan in 2001, King began his career at the fast-growing startup Wireless Information Network (WIN), helping to build Europe’s first Internet and entertainment services for mobile phones. In 2006, he joined Apple to help launch and grow the iTunes Store in Europe. His tenure at Apple included establishing and leading the Apple Services division in emerging markets across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa, and developing the technology giant’s international growth strategy as the business shifted to subscription and access models.
King received a master’s degree in Oriental Studies – Chinese from the College of St. Anne at the University of Oxford. Outside the office, he spends his weekends coaching rugby, watching countless netball, soccer and cricket matches, playing “FIFA ’23” and “Rocket League” and introducing his children “to as many international cuisines as he can try and inspired by his love of travel and culture,” according to his official biography.
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