Former PlayStation exec joins Xbox to lead Japanese partnerships
Microsoft has appointed former PlayStation executive Mena Sato Kato as its director of partnerships for Japan.
“I will be leading partnership efforts to support our Japanese partners globally,” she wrote on LinkedIn. “Opening up a new chapter, unlocking new experiences in the game industry. I hope to see many of you at TGS!”
Commenting on coverage of the news, Microsoft’s head of gaming Phil Spencer tweeted: “Glad to have Mena leading our work on Japanese partnerships for Team Xbox.”
Prior to joining Microsoft, Mena Sato Kato held various roles at Sony between 1999 and 2021, including a seven-year spell leading business development for first-party PlayStation game development in Japan.
Xbox will be an exhibitor at this year’s Tokyo Game Show, which will run from September 21-24 and be the largest event in the history of the annual trade fair, according to organiser the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association.
Microsoft has made renewed efforts in Japan with Xbox Series X/S. The consoles launched day-and-date with other territories and Xbox boss Spencer committed early on to better cater to Japanese players this console generation.
In an interview with Game Watch conducted at last year’s Tokyo Game Show, Spencer acknowledged demand for original Japanese games on Xbox.
“It’s not too much to hope for,” he said. “We’ve just met with Kojima-san from Kojima Productions and many other game creators to talk about bringing unique titles to the Xbox.
“We understand that many game fans want that. We are also aware of the common desire for games from Japan. We are working on creating such titles, so please look forward to it.”
Spencer was asked about Xbox’s relationship with Japanese gamers in a separate interview with Famitsu at TGS.
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