Sony Job Cuts Hit America, Japan Too

In the wake of news that Sony Computer Entertainment Europe would cut 160 jobs, a Sony spokesperson tells Reuters that the "streamlining of operations" might be a worldwide thing:

Sony Computer Entertainment's (SCE) other regional operations, such as those in the United States and Japan, could also take some streamlining measures, but nothing has been decided, SCE spokesman Satoshi Fukuoka said on Wednesday.

[...] Fukuoka said the potential job cuts are not the result of the PS3's slow start, but a response to changes in the game industry, including a shift to online distribution of software from packaged software sales.

SCEA's former head of developer relations Mark DeLoura said on his blog yesterday that job cuts have already taken place at SCEA:

There were definitely some job cuts at SCEA last week, a bunch of the folks in marketing who have been involved in E3 prep in previous years were let go. [...] Some really great people were let go from SCEA, and I'm sure they'll land on their feet and find good positions elsewhere. But one has to wonder whether this is the beginning of the layoffs, or the end?

I've asked SCEA to comment, and am waiting to hear back.

Sony game unit may slash jobs [Reuters]