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[Aquamarine]

Despite the shenanigans of the last 3 months, credit where credit is due. The guy did drag the Xbox division into profitability.

It will be interesting to see what he can do with Zynga.

As someone concerned about Microsoft company performance, I believe Mattrick is quite an asset to any business he applies his acumen towards. Minus his appalling PR screwups, he's a great executive and has worked wonders in IEB, XBOX and EA.

As a gamer, I can't stand him.

 

[Paul Alexander]

Mattrick and Kenneth from 30 Rock: separated at birth?

 

[DukeTogo1300]

Don Mattrick's house.

Just to compound people's depression.

Those rocks are ridiculous.

 

[Iacobellis]

They can easily fix the price issue. Sony needs to get them in the u.s which will be hard in order for them to dominate. MS marketing is far stronger and i we havent seen any differences in multiplats. power is being exaggerated between the two.

Are you sure? It takes a couple years for developers to really crack what a console is capable of.

 

[jtb]

jumping aboard a sinking ship? good luck with that.

 

[I NEED SCISSORS]

Correction that is just one of Mattrick's homes.

Fuck my life.

 

[Syphon Filter]

Are you sure? It takes a couple years for developers to really crack what a console is capable of.

The architecture Sony is using is easy to develop for. That doesn't take a while to crack.

 

[Mysterious]

Don Mattrick's house.

Just to compound people's depression.

Doesn't Miyamoto live in an apartment?

The differences between American and Japanese exec culture amazes me.

 

[jtb]

Doesn't Miyamoto live in an apartment?

The differences between American and Japanese exec culture amazes me.

lol apartments can be expensive too... especially in a country as vertical as Japan.

 

[Magnific0giganticus]

Well, when you fuck it up like that, either you go or they make you go.

 

[Aquamarine]

Doesn't Miyamoto live in an apartment?

The differences between American and Japanese exec culture amazes me.

I'm not sure if he lives in an apartment, but I do know Miyamoto insists on getting paid a normal salary (despite his vast seniority at the company), and he likes to ride his bike into work.

 

[Toparaman]

Fucking nuts. He seemed like such a vital part of the Xbone's direction.

 

[nib95]

The architecture Sony is using is easy to develop for. That doesn't take a while to crack.

All hardware, easy or not takes a while to optimise for. Especially when previous engines used tools that benefited far more exotic hardware. Remember, most of these new next gen engines are just evolutions of past engines. Add to that, you speak as if devs have had final dev kits for years. They don't even have final dev kits now. They've only had dev kits resembling final hardware since the start of 2013, which means 2 years of development was working on the basis of inferior tech and 4 x less ram.

So yea, it absolutely will take a while to fully realise. Those expecting end game wonders at launch are being extremely naive.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Fucking nuts. He seemed like such a vital part of the Xbone's direction.

He was probably distressed over the whole DRM fiasco....I wonder if that decision was truly his or not.

I mean, the entire Xbox One ecosystem was greenlit by him, so whether the market/Ballmer forced his hand, may have been enough to tip him to jump ship and work on more challenging/interesting projects for him. It had to have been a slap in the face to devote yourself for a few years to one central division, only to have it reversed a week later after an embarrassment on a national stage. He certainly didn't do a good enough job on communicating his message.

Being a CEO of a 2.4B company is certainly a big promotion for him.

Regardless of what you felt about the DRM issues, he certainly thought it was a step in the right direction for a digitally connected system.

 

[raven777]

when was this?

 

[Syphon Filter]

when was this?

E3 09.

 

[Aquamarine]

E3 09.

To be more specific, the Metal Gear Rising unveil during Microsoft's press conference at E3 2009.

 

[jrDev]

EA -> M$ -> dead Zynga

I will not miss him.

Wait, Mattrick originated from EA?

 

[$h@d0w]

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/exec/slt.aspx

Edit - oh, they already added a note to his bio:

Editor’s note: Microsoft confirmed that Mattrick would be leaving Microsoft to assume the role of Chief Executive Officer at Zynga, effective July 8, 2013

 

[Tunavi]

Wow.

Thank god.

 

[Guri]

Wait, Mattrick originated from EA?

He started a game company in 1982 (17 years old) called Distinctive Software that EA bought in 1991. He then retired from EA in 2006 and went to MS in 2007.

 

[Revengineer]

Bottom feeders beget bottom feeders. Makes perfect sense.

 

[Chuck Norris]

I guess it says alot about where MS is if you'd rather work at Zynga

 

[Jac_Solar]

"Microsoft announces an exclusive partnership with Zynga. The Zynga channel will offer unique, compelling experiences that you can play directly from the Cloud. The Zynga channel and experience will be a part of Xbox Live, and requires you to connect once every 12 hours."

 

[jrDev]

He started a game company in 1982 (17 years old) called Distinctive Software that EA bought in 1991. He then retired from EA in 2006 and went to MS in 2007.

Themoreyouknow.gif

Thanks

 

[Iacobellis]

The architecture Sony is using is easy to develop for. That doesn't take a while to crack.

Any hardware takes time. If Killzone: Shadow Fall was the best next-gen. could offer, then I'd be very disappointed.

 

[Jotamide]

He was probably distressed over the whole DRM fiasco....I wonder if that decision was truly his or not.

I mean, the entire Xbox One ecosystem was greenlit by him, so whether the market/Ballmer forced his hand, may have been enough to tip him to jump ship and work on more challenging/interesting projects for him. It had to have been a slap in the face to devote yourself for a few years to one central division, only to have it reversed a week later after an embarrassment on a national stage. He certainly didn't do a good enough job on communicating his message.

Being a CEO of a 2.4B company is certainly a big promotion for him.

Regardless of what you felt about the DRM issues, he certainly thought it was a step in the right direction for a digitally connected system.

You might be on the money with this one.

 

[Hydrogen Bluebird]

This should be the guy to replace Don at MS

 

[Ushae]

I really hope they get someone who's damn good at their job, and likeable (for the sake of PR) to fill the position. Whoever it is will be spearheading the X1 for it's entire lifecycle. Whoever it is will end up being a blessing or a curse for MS.

 

[XANDER CAGE]

Don Mattrick's house.

Just to compound people's depression.

How come he can afford this but not a tie or a shirt that fits?

 

[DarkFlow]

When you jump ship, you don't jump to another sinking one.

 

[amstradcpc]

I'm not sure if he lives in an apartment, but I do know Miyamoto insists on getting paid a normal salary (despite his vast seniority at the company), and he likes to ride his bike into work.

There should be made a documental "one day in Miyamoto´s life". It would be interesting...

 

[m3k]

Bazinga

 

[Opus Angelorum]

When you jump ship, you don't jump to another sinking one.

Microsoft is a sinking ship ?

 

[Ushae]

When you jump ship, you don't jump to another sinking one.

What makes you think MS ship is sinking? Based on what, the great success of the 360? Or the DRM fiasco that will never happen? If anything Don leaving will be a good thing for Xbox and gamers everywhere.

 

[Salvor.Hardin]

When you jump ship, you don't jump to another sinking one.

Good managers specifically join sinking ships to turn things around. While he didn't have to do that at Microsoft, the Xbox made a tonne of cash while he was there. He knows what he's getting into and probably has a decent plan to back up his goals.

 

[swordsman720]

But can Ballmer really undo the damage? He has his hands in the Windows 8 debacle already.

They have the patch and it calls Windows 8.1
Start button is back, but they should have listen to the peoples in the first place.
Just like I said before, the company is leading by the monkey. Ballmer is next>>>>

 

[Freshmaker]

Good managers specifically join sinking ships to turn things around. While he didn't have to do that at Microsoft, the Xbox made a tonne of cash while he was there. He knows what he's getting into and probably has a decent plan to back up his goals.

Or they simply destroy a flagging company and exit with a wad of cash.

 

[CoG]

Or they simply destroy a flagging company and exit with a wad of cash.

95% of his salary at Zynga is stock so he's making a strong bet that he'll turn things around.

 

[Feorax]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-07-02-so-long-don-mattrick

Really interesting article on the legacy Mattrick leaves Microsoft with. Particularly interesting about his failures with regards to first party development.

 

[mclem]

Microsoft needs someone cool to go out and represent the Xbox. Don Mattrick is not cool, at all.

They need another J Allard.

Tried way too hard. Not cool.

 

[QuicheFontaine]

Edit - oh, they already added a note to his bio:

Editor’s note: Microsoft confirmed that Mattrick would be leaving Microsoft to assume the role of Chief Executive Officer at Zynga, effective July 8, 2013

So, on Monday then? Damn, I've got to give at least a month's notice at my work.

 

[Chao]

Saw this coming.
Never liked the guy, he is so awkward and so obviously full of shit. You can see in his face he is lying while he talks, and he struggles to hide it with that sad smile of his.

Hopefully we will get a new direction in the division, someone who sees video games as something other than a way to steal people's money.

 

[Xpliskin]

Can someone please summarize what's so bad about Zynga ?

And why an executive of such a high caliber would take on damocles throne ( if it's really that bad )

 

[DarkFlow]

Microsoft is a sinking ship ?

Not MS as while no, but the Xbox brand is sure taking some big hits lately.

 

[CoG]

Can someone please summarize what's so bad about Zynga ?

And why an executive of such a high caliber would take on damocles throne ( if it's really that bad )

Stock price bottomed out, massive layoffs, web game division killed for mobile. They can certainly be turned around but they've been the punching bag of the tech press for the past year or so.

 

[KissVibes]

Wonder if Gates intervened and Xbox division is restructuring, re-doing marketing plans.

Gates is too busy helping people to give a shit about whatever the Xbox guys are doing. Be reasonable.

 

[DarkFlow]

Gates is too busy helping people to give a shit about whatever the Xbox guys are doing. Be reasonable.

You really think gates is out of the loop? Yeah he is helping people, but Microsoft is still his baby.

 

[TaoJay]

Im left wondering if the big Don was the driving force behind the 'Always On-Line' push & he's paying the price for it. Zynga is a massive step down.

 

[CoG]

One thing that nobody has mentioned that could be a huge turnaround for Zynga is legal online gambling which is imminent in the US. When that happens Zynga stands to explode. Donny may be a complete dullard WRT stage presence but the guy knows a lot about business and I would not doubt it if this was his key motivation for going to Zynga.