What you need to know
- Mena Sato Kato worked previously as the Vice President of Mobile Business for Sony Interactive Entertainment.
- She was with Sony for about 8 years before leaving in 2021.
- According to an announcement on her LinkedIn, she has been hired by Xbox as the Director of Partnerships in Japan as part of the Gaming Ecosystem Organization.
- Mena Sato Kato lists on LinkedIn that she is "responsible for leading partnerships for Japanese publishers at Xbox."
If there's one thing fans of Xbox are very vocal about missing out on, it's JRPGs and other large releases from Japanese developers or publishers. PlayStation's ongoing love affair with Square Enix has led to Xbox players missing out on the Final Fantasy 7 remaster and Final Fantasy 16. However, Xbox CEO Phil Spencer recently appeared on the Square Enix stage to announce a new partnership to bring more Square Enix titles to the console. However, a recent job change announced on LinkedIn may be just what Xbox needs to develop better relationships with Japanese publishers.
Mena Sato Kato, an executive who spent 8 years in leadership roles at Sony Interactive Entertainment, announced via LinkedIn she has joined Xbox as the Director for Partnerships Japan.
According to Mena Sato Kato, her new role at Xbox will be to lead partnership efforts that support Xbox's Japanese partners on a global scale. She expects the role to be a new chapter and one that will be "Unlocking new experiences in the game industry."
In the post, Kato expressed she was looking forward to seeing colleagues at the Tokyo Games Show from September 21 to September 24 this year. Xbox is expected to attend what has been teased as "the biggest Tokyo Game Show," with the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) releasing a statement acknowledging fans' high demand for the show.
