“Don Mattrick, the president of Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment unit — which centers on the Xbox and all the software giant’s gaming and entertainment efforts — is leaving the company, said multiple sources close to the situation,” Kara Swisher reports for AllThingsD.
“These sources added that the high-profile executive is also close to taking a top job at Zynga, the troubled online social gaming company, possibly as its CEO and working in close partnership with its founder and current CEO Mark Pincus,” Swisher reports. “Sources said the announcement of Mattrick’s appointment could be made as soon as today, after the markets close.”
Swisher reports, “The move appears to be largely unrelated to the massive restructuring being mulled by CEO Steve Ballmer at Microsoft. Talks between Mattrick and Zynga have been going on for some time, said sources.”
Read more in the full article here.
Related articles:
Former Xbox manager: To save Microsoft, Ballmer and thousands of others must go – June 15, 2013
New Xbox One by longtime NSA partner Microsoft to watch users 24/7? – June 8, 2013
Xbox One might not be the game changer Microsoft claims – May 23, 2013
Why Apple TV has nothing to fear from Microsoft’s Xbox One – May 21, 2013
Stumbling Microsoft unveils third Xbox, names it ‘Xbox One’ – May 21, 2013
There goes another deck chair over the rails!
Things must be a lot worse at MS than we realize if the top Xbox guy is going to the struggling Zynga.
Makes me happy.
Sell your Zynga stock today. We all know what happens when companies hire Microsoft execs as CEOs?
They go elop, er, flop..
When the music stops and there aren’t enough executive chairs, “Who goes over the rail?”
Ballmer.
It’s depressing to think anyone would want to work at Zynga. I think this guy is taking a HUGE step in the wrong direction. The new Xbox actually looks pretty sweet. Zynga? Seriously? Blackjack for toddlers?
Well, if you go a chance to get off the Titanic in Spitzbergen….?
Looks more like a Dead end to me but time will tell. Reminds me of the old media centre pcs which we were all told would take over the world, I mean they just crammed in everything anyone could need to dominate the living room. Yep that worked out well.
There was that article last week of Ballmer chopping heads and making changes. Maybe he got wind that Ballmer had it out for him. Or for people he didn’t think deserved to go instead of Ballmer.
LameVille to FarmVille …
I don’t even like Zynga’s games – who needs all those cow clickers? If the head of the XBox department is going to go to lead Zynga, let’s hope he uses it to make some real games, instead of just rehasing the same garbage they usually put out.
Okay… When you abandon a sinking ship, you’re not supposed to climb aboard another sinking ship.
——RM
This guy will hitch Zynga’s “turnaround” plan to windows phone and run the whole thing right into a wall.
Nokia 2.0
I knew Zynga was in FAIL mode and getting desperate, but not THAT desperate! This will be interesting…
Okay, with the news of Ballmer’s retirement, will the new CEO come in and clean up the XBox department and make it a good platform again, instead of this “XBox One” they’re shelling out? 😉