Xbox President Don Mattrick Leaving For Zynga - UPDATED

[JenSeven]

After the whole E3 thing he must have become poisonous. I cannot imagine why Zynga would hire him.
All the Xbone bad PR has stuck to him and he will forever be associated with it.
He's basically the Ed Gein of the videogame industry.
Because like with Ed Gein, no matter how nice a person he could potentially be, it's impossible to forget he made lampshades out of human skin.

 

[imagremlin]

With that said, I'm really surprised that he is leaving Microfost

If that was a typo, its the best typo ever.

 

[Vrach]

Excellent. That leaves Microsoft in a better position and thank fuck EA didn't take him (although the fact they really wanted to is disturbing). Zynga is the perfect place for him - put him away from serious games and let him fuck with people already playing their games online and online only.

 

[HardkorSB]

Leaving before he gets fired, perhaps?

He probably did get fired but they made it look like he quit because that looks slightly better as a headline.
Then they gave him a cushy job so that he wouldn't complain much.

 

[spoonybard.hahs]

EA is on a bent to restore its image. They stopped online passes, plan to restructure Origin to be more "friendly" to gamers (given their history, that sounds scary), got rid of Riccitiello (he "stepped down," which is corporate speak for being forced out). Cautious optimism would not be unwarranted.

Then we find that EA wanted Mattrick to replace Riccitiello.

If you really want to kill yourselves, EA, there are better, more efficient ways to do it.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Isn't that like taking the helm of the Hindenburg?

Close, it would be like sending the Human Torch to take the helm of the Hindenburg.

Well yes, but why would Don Mattick want to take the helm of Zynga? Wouldn't that be like wanting to take the helm of the Hindenburg? ...after it crashed?

Unfortunately your guess is as good as mine on that front.

Though i think MS were kicking him out after the... spectacular PR he gave after the Xbone reveal and at E3, and EA might have been considering headhunting him but decided against it after the same incidents.

After which he took the highest paying job he was offered. Whether or not he knew anything recent about Zynga is a whole other debate.

Are you kidding? EA probably looked at this guy's recent PR... statements and said "This guy's perfect!" ¬__¬

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

I'm forced to admit that he may do a good job at Zynga because of bizzaro-universe political correctness.

(Honestly though, Zynga does a lot of free to play games, so maybe it is smart to send the guy who blatantly refuses to help sales)

 

[Riff Moonraker]

Good. I'm glad this smarmy bastard is no longer associated with any brand I am interested in.

EXACTLY my thoughts.... well said.

 

[Wesley Brannock]

Say hello to my reaction to this story.

 

[GraegoriHauss]

See my forum avatar for my reaction.

 

[michael87cn]

Your first reaction might be "What?" followed by "LOL".

The truth behind this is: "Don: crap, my job security doesn't look too good". "Zynga: Want a ton of money, Don, to work for us?". "Don: OKAY!".

Simple as that.

 

[IamLEAM1983]

Am I the only one who looks at his pictures and expects to hear "AHYUCK!" with Goofy's voice?

You're not alone.

The catch is that Goofy would acknowledge his failure with a dejected "Garsh!" and actually learn a freaking life lesson - while I assume Don is singing as loudly as he can over the gamer outrage he'd caused and generally hugging his last benefits with Microsoft like they're the One Ring.

Guy's not a gamer, he's a corporate tool who's focused on profitability. Ten to one he fucks shit up for Zynga too, but with the intent to fill up their coffers.

 

[darksakul]

...I...What?...

This is something I sure as shit didn't see coming O_O
Just if he was the president of that branch of MS, then he approved all the Xbone shit, right?

And Zynga want the guy who thought the Xbone was a good idea?...

This is a whole new level of weird s£&t. How bad is it at Microsoft that you look at zynga as a step up?

Man those remarks are very witty, so much I had to take a break to laugh at Don Mattrick some more.

Yeah I agree with you both. WTF? Leave Microsoft for Zygna?

That is like leaving the US Marine Corps to become a boy scout.

SO lets see now how badly farmville gets screwed over.

 

[Valkrex]

Hopefully this means we won't see another Windows 8 for PC's... (its a good phone/tablet OS) and we can see an improved Windows 7.

 

[Mr. Q]

You'd think he would pick a better option rather than go from one sinking ship onto another that's already at the bottom of the ocean. Hell, Seppuku would have been less painless and more honorable. But I guess Don is the "glutton for punishment" kind of idiot.

Better check your golden parachute, Don. It might just be filled with silverware instead. ^^;

 

[Olrod]

Is... is it April Fool's Day already? Have I been in a coma for the last 10 months?

I'm not sure if this is a case of irony overload of sublime poetic justice...

 

[TomWiley]

That's a damn good deal. From sector chief to CEO. If he manages his job at Zynga well, he could return to Microsoft and get any position he wants. It's an undoubtedly smart move from his perspective.

 

[Guiltyone]

It's sad to see everybody reacting to this like it's an admission of Don Mattrick's fault. If I remember correctly, Michael Pachter predicted his transfer from Microsoft long before Xbox One was announced, in his comment about new EA CEO. According to Pach-Atack, the only thing holding Mattrick in Microsoft was his obligation to see new Xbox to it's press release. So for me this news wasn't surprising at all, although I was hoping it would be EA and not Zynga. Watching people freak out makes me wonder how little we really understand in this world.

 

[antigodoflife]

I really hope this is true - the thought of him taking the reins of EA is more than a little frightening.

Last time Don Mattrick worked for EA we got franchises such as Need for Speed, Harry Potter and The Sims, can't be all bad if he went back to EA right?