Zynga Founder Mark Pincus Is Bored With Games

[Andy Chalk]

Zynga Founder Mark Pincus Is Bored With Games

Mark Pincus, the man who gave the world FarmVille, says videogames no longer give him the zing they used to.

Mark Pincus has done pretty well for himself with videogames. His company, Zynga, may not shine quite as brightly as it once did but it's still a pretty big dog as these things go. But it turns out that they no longer turn his crank the way they once did.

During a Q&A following an informal talk to tech entrepreneurs in Israel, Pincus was asked about his favorite game. And to everyone's surprise, he replied, "Right now, I'm pretty bored with all games." He used to be hooked on fare like FarmVille and CityVille when they were new, he explained, but nothing has come along in more recent times to replace them. "I want that addiction again," he said.

It's possible that Pincus is just down in the dumps because of Zynga's ongoing troubles. He effectively ouster [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/123102-Zynga-CEO-Reduces-Salary-to-Keep-Top-Employees] of the company's chief operating officer, chief people officer and chief technical officer - not the sort of thing likely to make a man feel very comfortable about the company he founded.

Source: Wall Street Journal [http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2013/10/01/pincus-im-bored-with-all-games/]


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[Tortilla the Hun]

I didn't realize those were video games in the first place.

Zyng!

Really though, it's rather saddening to see someone lose their passion for their work. Perhaps he'll find a new spark, or maybe even an entirely different, fulfilling line of work.

 

[Pink Gregory]

It sounds here like he's only every played his own games.

How do things like that happen?

 

[StriderShinryu]

I'd say that's largely down to the fact he ties the feeling of enjoying a game to an addiction. As in most cases of addiction, once that initial thrill wears off and there's nothing else going on to support it, you're stuck looking for the next bigger hit.

With everything going on in gaming right now, from new hardware to new OSs to quality new entries in old IPs to new IPs and the continued rise of smaller independent development, if you're bored with gaming right now you're doing it wrong.

Basically, if he had been involved in making better games with more aspects to them than an addictive hook, he probably wouldn't feel the same way.

 

[Johnson McGee]

Well, video games have been bored with him for a long time already.

 

[Ukomba]

Those weren't games, they were Skinner Boxes in various uncreative skins. This guy is the anti-video-game.

 

[Ukomba]

I guess it's time for FarmVille 3, now with added weather features, and even more micro-transactiony than ever before.

 

[WeepingAngels]

It sounds here like he's only every played his own games.

How do things like that happen?

I have been gaming for over 30 years and I am also getting bored with games.

 

[Lunar Templar]

Maybe he should try playing GOOD games and not the insult to shovel ware Zynga makes.

course, I'm kinda 'burnt out on games to' but thats really only the AAA market, indie games still make me happy

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

not the sort of thing likely to make a man feel very comfortable about the company he founded.

To which I say "Good". Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to come-off as malicious, but when a person flat-out admits to using scams as a method of drumming-up some cash for his company (Oh, but "it's okay", because he's "not gonna do it anymore"), I'm not gonna feel much sympathy for him when karma comes around to bite him in the ass and said company starts having some hard times. I definitely feel sorry for the employees of Zynga who have to deal with him, they must feel completely disenfranchised in their decision to get into game design because of the way that he basically has them carbon-copy existing games, slap "Ville" in the title, then call it a day.

But he isn't completely beyond redemption. Long as he's learning the right lessons from this (like "don't be a shit-head of a business owner") and uses those lessons going forward, I could see myself actually fighting in favor of Zynga. Heck, if EA was able to redeem themselves for a short while before they went back to their usual tricks, then certainly Zynga isn't completely beyond hope. Markus just has to learn the right lessons, is all.

 

[Lawyer105]

My first thought was : How can you be bored with games?! You haven't made any.

My second thought was : No, seriously... those aren't games. They're Skinner boxes in drag.

My third thought was : Actually, I'm being kind of a tit, aren't I? It's no fun to hate your job, to lose enjoyment in anything, let alone something as important as that.

I recommend that we introduce the poor dude to the Kerbal Space Program.

I bought it on a Steam sale. At the same time as I bought Tomb Raider, Hitman: Absolution and a couple of other big name titles. I have yet (over a month later) to install said big name titles. KSP is awesome.

Go try that, Mr. Zynga. Look hard. Then go back to work and make THAT sort of thing your priority.

 

[RJ 17]

Damnit Andy, and I had JUST stopped laughing since the last time someone mentioned that Don Mattrick is the CEO of Zynga...now I won't be able to stop laughing for another 3 months. Thanks a lot. xP

More to the subject: I suppose I'd be pretty bored with writing if all I ever did was copy other people's writing and slap my own bastardization of their title onto the cover. Seems a lot like cheating in a game: if you cheat, you remove all the challenge and effort that makes winning the game a rewarding experience. If you're not going to put the effort in, they why even bother?

 

[Something Amyss]

It seems like players are bored of his games, too.

 

[ZZoMBiE13]

Well I came into this thread with snark to offer, but it appears I've been ninja's about 17 times. Ah well. Good to know we all share the same revulsion to the 'Villes of the gaming world I guess.

I'll try to think up an appropriate zinger just the same.

Uh...
"What do you want to do tonight Brain?"
"Same thing we do every night Pincus... TRY TO MAKE THE MOST BORING CRAP IN THE WORLD"

 

[Pinstar]

"I'd rather just sell people sprites and cut out the whole 'game' middle man. Now who wants to buy a picture of a silly white fox? They're on sale at 75% off today, only $25!

 

[KeyMaster45]

That's great news there Mark. Now please, for everyone's sake, get out of our hobby.