Sony and PlayStation creator Ken Kutaragi made a joint statement Thursday saying Kutaragi would retire from his position as chairman and group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment as of the company's next shareholders meeting on June 19, and that he has "been considering this decision for some time."

 "I am happy to graduate from Sony Computer Entertainment after introducing four platforms to the PlayStation family," Kutaragi said in a statement.

Kutaragi is one of the most celebrated figures in consumer electronics history, having shipped more than 200 million PlayStation and PlayStation 2 consoles, as well as the PlayStation Portable. Some analysts believe that had the PS3 been perceived as a hit or even a mild hit, there's a good chance he would be sticking around for the full 10-year lifecycle Sony gives its consoles.

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