Don Mattrick, who’s been the public face for all things Xbox for the last few years, will be leaving Microsoft to take a top leadership role at Zynga, reports All Things D. Most recently, Mattrick’s been visible as the person who introduced the Xbox One, Microsoft’s next-gen successor to the best-selling Xbox 360. But the Redmond tech giant’s been dogged by wave after wave of negative sentiment as the initial details emerged about how the console would require a daily internet connection and handle used games.
The backlash culminated in a shocking reversal where Microsoft removed these policies and features.
Mattrick joined Microsoft in 2007. Previously, he’d been the head of worldwide studios at EA, where he’d worked in various roles for a quarter century. Mattrick was also a game designer, having co-created the racing series Test Drive when he was a teenager.
Under his tenure, the Xbox 360 battled for console supremacy with Nintendo’s Wii and eventually emerged as a home entertainment hub where users could watch Netflix and dozens of other streaming video services in addition to playing games. The Mattrick era also saw the introduction of the ground-breaking Kinect sensor, which launched with record-setting numbers but then became the reason for some of the most broken and frustrating games on the 360.
The Xbox One has also come under fire for the declaration that indies wouldn’t be able to self-publish on the platform. But, in his most recent remarks to Kotaku, Mattrick said that an independent creator program would be something implemented for the new hardware.
When contacted by Kotaku, Zynga declined to comment. Kotaku has reached out to Microsoft as well and will update this story should it respond.
Update: A Twitter conversation between AllThingsD’s Kara Swisher and Geoff Keighley of GameTrailers indicates that Mattrick was approached by EA.
@geoffkeighley they pursued him for sure. zynga a better turnaround, I suspect
— Kara Swisher (@karaswisher) July 1, 2013
Picture: Invision, AP Images
Comments
15 responses to “Report: The Man In Charge Of Xbox Is Leaving Microsoft”
Isn’t Zynga a sinking ship? I thought their stocks fell over the other month?
maybe they wanna redeem them selves so they need Don to help them make a always online crap that no body wants yet companys give it to us
Aren’t they technically already always online?
They mainly produce browser based games don’t they?
well, i forgot about that, yea your right he fits in perfectly
Mattrick was the COO of EA. Before he came to Microsoft. Peter Moore went from being on MS to EA. They just switched one E3. Basically MS and EA were run by friends. Their only incentive is to make more money, not getting a better product to market.
These guys are “financial innovators”. I mean they invent new methods for rich people to make more money. Or in other words, try to charge more for the same product or service.
Nat Brown, one of the original designers for Xbox and 360 spoke out end of last year and tried to warn XBOX that these guys were about to ruin the XBOX name.
Real engineers invent technology, all these guys had to do was support the best ideas.
Yeah how was that 360 Nat Brown worked on with the 747 jet fan and the overheating solder melting problem…. Glass houses there.
Please…
http://kotaku.com/5984086/i-helped-create-the-xbox-but-now-its-painful-to-watch
Also please have a look at when this article was published.
Thanks.
Interesting read – thanks for the link.
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, Don.
Xbox One launch failure…. *Donald Trump voice* “You’re FIRED”
So will he do a 180 in a weeks time and return to Microsoft?
Frankly he never seemed to be across his own console and yeah the EA relationship is frankly, a bad look. Hopefully MS promotes one of their execs who come across as more enthused about the whole thing: maybe that Yusuf guy or us Kudo still there?
Glad this smiling, snake oil salesman got the boot.
Exactly. He always stuck me as a snake oil salesman in the pictures- kind of maipulates you into wanting his bloody Xbox even in the face of his terrible efforts to destroy your rights. Good thing self respect and sanity won out over sad addiction and victimisation amongst gamers. After hearing Steve Ballmer essentially say he wanted exactly what the Xbone used to be (but which they backed down on), I have little hope for the corporate culture in Microsoft to turn out anything good. But perhaps self preservation alone…
Is it me or does that picture there he slightly resembles a young Steve Jobs..?
His earlobes are stuck to his head.
EA? Kinect? X-Box One? Zynga?
This man is evil and must be stopped!
Nice jacket though.