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Microsoft's Entertainment Head Don Mattrick Leaving for Top Zynga Job

38 points by olivercameron 13y ago

bitwize 13y ago
"Man, Microsoft has done some bad things in its day, but these days they're just semi-evil -- not evil enough. Where can I go to do some real damage? EA? Activision? Wait, I've got it! Zynga -- the cow-clicking people! It's perfect!"
- numbsafari 13y ago
  I wish there was a way to just leave this one comment and stop all other comments. Because this comment is perfect.
  - bitwize 13y ago
    I was expecting to get downmodded for being too Reddity. :)
- miahi 13y ago
  Before Microsoft, he was a president at EA (Worldwide Studios). So Zynga is normal.
- joonix 13y ago
  The Microsoft is evil meme is still going strong? I was already tired of it back when I read Slashdot...
  - snom380 13y ago
    Back when they the Halloween documents leaked, they were found guilty of violating antitrust laws, made up studies to undermine Linux and took out full page ads? Like pg mentioned in an article, it's easy today to forget how powerful and dominant Microsoft was just a few years ago.
    - cracell 13y ago
      Their flailing almost makes you forget they are a 500 pound gorilla.
jroseattle 13y ago
Word on the street was that Mattrick was in line for greater roles/responsibilities at Microsoft, which is presently getting ready for some mega reorg by Ballmer. Not sure what it means for Zynga, but I think this is a big deal to Microsoft.
- georgemcbay 13y ago
  I don't follow "the street" very closely, but as a gamer I know he became the very public face of Xbox One and everything about that product that caused the huge backlash against that product post-E3. The fact that they had to publicly back out of a lot of the early decisions he made suggests Microsoft saw some real numbers on how negatively the Xbox One backlash was hurting them (eg. PS4 vs Xbox One preorder numbers).
- lawnchair_larry 13y ago
  Or perhaps in light of the brand damage caused surrounding Xbox One, this is the result of said reorg by Ballmer.
Dirlewanger 13y ago
He must be getting an insane severance package written into his contact in order to join a sinking ship like Zynga, for when they dissolve...or he really is that stupid.
- JonFish85 13y ago
  In addition to whatever severance I'm sure he'd get, it could be a no-lose situation. If they fail, he can try to fall back on "hey, they were going down anyways, I did my best to save things". If they right the ship somehow, he can claim a big part of saving the company. Then he'll be on the radar for startups as a potential CEO who can put a company on a good track. What does he have to lose, really?
- pasbesoin 13y ago
  Viewing this superficially, but with benefit of having observed the musical chairs of C level roles for some years, at a glance I would view this as "leveling up" to the CEO role. I'm sure he's already rather well off. This is, I would guess, essentially resume building. It becomes not about the institution nor its ultimate success, but about you.
- joezydeco 13y ago
  Zynga seems to be lining up the ducks to follow the 'social gaming' angle (i.e facebook slots). They just acquired another slot machine design group the other week. I'd watch for a complete pivot from them soon, including an eventual jettison of all the -ville games.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
Jare 13y ago
Zynga is committed to destroying your crops if you don't log in every day.
_delirium 13y ago
Odd moves to and from Zynga. Their former COO, Vish Makhijani, went to Udacity recently.
ChuckMcM 13y ago
Interesting early commentary here. As the story is pure speculation it brings out whatever is going on inside the commentators head. Sort of like flipping a coin to see which outcome you really want. That said, its hard to turn around companies at the top because the existing staff has loyalties, processes are sometimes ingrained, and change has to be forced at first. Watching Marissa at Yahoo has been fascinating from that perspective. Mattick seems to have the experience to be the CEO of a games company but looking at various articles about him I don't get a read on his ability to force change. Zynga of course is suffering from lackluster stock performance (always bad for the CEO) and a bunch of bad PR. My head is in that idealistic place where someone could turn an online game company into something that was both profitable and culturally respectable. I'm not holding my breath though for that to happen. :-)
6thSigma 13y ago
They should be spending some of that cash lobbying for online gambling in the US. Zynga Poker is their best chance at becoming relevant again.
mathattack 13y ago
I'm still not sure if this story says more about Microsoft, Zynga or Electronic Arts. The implication is all three.

38 points by olivercameron 13y ago

"Man, Microsoft has done some bad things in its day, but these days they're just semi-evil -- not evil enough. Where can I go to do some real damage? EA? Activision? Wait, I've got it! Zynga -- the cow-clicking people! It's perfect!"

numbsafari 13y ago
I wish there was a way to just leave this one comment and stop all other comments. Because this comment is perfect.
- bitwize 13y ago
  I was expecting to get downmodded for being too Reddity. :)
miahi 13y ago
Before Microsoft, he was a president at EA (Worldwide Studios). So Zynga is normal.
joonix 13y ago
The Microsoft is evil meme is still going strong? I was already tired of it back when I read Slashdot...
- snom380 13y ago
  Back when they the Halloween documents leaked, they were found guilty of violating antitrust laws, made up studies to undermine Linux and took out full page ads? Like pg mentioned in an article, it's easy today to forget how powerful and dominant Microsoft was just a few years ago.
  - cracell 13y ago
    Their flailing almost makes you forget they are a 500 pound gorilla.

jroseattle 13y ago

Word on the street was that Mattrick was in line for greater roles/responsibilities at Microsoft, which is presently getting ready for some mega reorg by Ballmer. Not sure what it means for Zynga, but I think this is a big deal to Microsoft.

georgemcbay 13y ago
I don't follow "the street" very closely, but as a gamer I know he became the very public face of Xbox One and everything about that product that caused the huge backlash against that product post-E3. The fact that they had to publicly back out of a lot of the early decisions he made suggests Microsoft saw some real numbers on how negatively the Xbox One backlash was hurting them (eg. PS4 vs Xbox One preorder numbers).
lawnchair_larry 13y ago
Or perhaps in light of the brand damage caused surrounding Xbox One, this is the result of said reorg by Ballmer.

Dirlewanger 13y ago

He must be getting an insane severance package written into his contact in order to join a sinking ship like Zynga, for when they dissolve...or he really is that stupid.

JonFish85 13y ago
In addition to whatever severance I'm sure he'd get, it could be a no-lose situation. If they fail, he can try to fall back on "hey, they were going down anyways, I did my best to save things". If they right the ship somehow, he can claim a big part of saving the company. Then he'll be on the radar for startups as a potential CEO who can put a company on a good track. What does he have to lose, really?
pasbesoin 13y ago
Viewing this superficially, but with benefit of having observed the musical chairs of C level roles for some years, at a glance I would view this as "leveling up" to the CEO role. I'm sure he's already rather well off. This is, I would guess, essentially resume building. It becomes not about the institution nor its ultimate success, but about you.
joezydeco 13y ago
Zynga seems to be lining up the ducks to follow the 'social gaming' angle (i.e facebook slots). They just acquired another slot machine design group the other week. I'd watch for a complete pivot from them soon, including an eventual jettison of all the -ville games.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]

Jare 13y ago

Zynga is committed to destroying your crops if you don't log in every day.

_delirium 13y ago

Odd moves to and from Zynga. Their former COO, Vish Makhijani, went to Udacity recently.

ChuckMcM 13y ago

Interesting early commentary here. As the story is pure speculation it brings out whatever is going on inside the commentators head. Sort of like flipping a coin to see which outcome you really want. That said, its hard to turn around companies at the top because the existing staff has loyalties, processes are sometimes ingrained, and change has to be forced at first. Watching Marissa at Yahoo has been fascinating from that perspective. Mattick seems to have the experience to be the CEO of a games company but looking at various articles about him I don't get a read on his ability to force change. Zynga of course is suffering from lackluster stock performance (always bad for the CEO) and a bunch of bad PR. My head is in that idealistic place where someone could turn an online game company into something that was both profitable and culturally respectable. I'm not holding my breath though for that to happen. :-)

6thSigma 13y ago

They should be spending some of that cash lobbying for online gambling in the US. Zynga Poker is their best chance at becoming relevant again.

mathattack 13y ago

I'm still not sure if this story says more about Microsoft, Zynga or Electronic Arts. The implication is all three.