Don Mattrick is leaving Micrsoft

Shadow Dragon · Jul 1, 2013

And is heading for Zynga: http://www.theverge.com/2013/7/1/44...ttrick-reportedly-leaving-microsoft-for-zynga

For those of you that don't know of Zynga, they're a social gaming company that mainly works with Facebook. They've also been mired in controversy:

Through 2009, Zynga made money from lead generation advertising schemes, whereby game participants would earn game points by signing up for featured credit cards or video-rental services. These were criticized as being less cost-effective than simply buying game points, and in some cases, being outright scams that would download unwanted software or unwittingly sign up for a recurring subscription. One ad signed up players for subscriptions to expensive and unwanted text-messaging services.

On October 31, 2009, Michael Arrington of TechCrunch said that Zynga intentionally worked with scam advertisers, and that lead generation made up a third of Zynga's revenue. Arrington also alleged that Facebook was complicit in this. On November 2, 2009, CEO Mark Pincus announced a reform in its offers: Tatto Media, a major offer provider that enrolled users into recurring cell phone subscriptions, would be banned, all mobile offers would be removed, and offer providers would be required to pre-screen offers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zynga#Scam_ads

Regardless of anything I have said about the Xbone, this is a major step down for him. The only reason I can see for him leaving Microsoft for a social gaming company known for scamming people, is that he saw the writing on the wall.

invicticide · Jul 2, 2013

Zynga's stock price crashed hard a while back. I could imagine they offered Mattrick one hell of a compensation package in the hope that his name and pedigree might help them rebound.

Still, it's a bizarre move.

onesecondglance · Jul 3, 2013

Smacks of desperation on Zynga's part - and I bet Mr Mattrick is getting one helluva compensation package. I suspect they've hired him to try and turn the company around.

I'd say this has everything to do with Zynga going down the toilet and nothing to do with the Xbox One or MS.

charlesmao · Jul 4, 2013

And now he will earn over $19 million in his first year at Zynga. Mattrick's got his work cut out for him.

Don Mattrick is leaving Micrsoft

Shadow Dragon

invicticide

Laying a foundation

onesecondglance

pretending to be awake

charlesmao