Don Mattrick, president of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment unit, is leaving the company, according to a report over on AllThingsD. Multiple sources close to the situation have confirmed that the high-profile executive is close to snapping up a position at Zynga. The studio is currently struggling against waning consumer business on the web and Facebook while slowly transitioning to mobile. The company has had to work through layoffs and the closure of offices outside its San Francisco headquarters.
Should Zynga founder Mark Pincus appoint Mattrick as a new CEO, it would certainly reinforce his desire to revive Zynga and get the ball rolling again. As well as Zynga, the Microsoft executive has also been tied to Electranic Arts, another gaming giant that's facing a rough challenge - continuously rated as one of the worst companies by consumers.
One would immediate assume that the departure of Mattrick would be down to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's restructuring plans at the company, but sources suggest talks between Mattrick and Zynga have been ongoing for some time. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out since he's has been the face of the new Xbox One, as well as who Microsoft will look to replace him with should the exec leave Redmond.
Update: Yahoo! reports that Zynga has appointed Don Mattrick as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors, effective July 8th. Mattrick will report directly to the Board and was unanimously appointed CEO. Mattrick will join Pincus in a newly formed Executive Committee to manage the operations and affairs of the Company between Board meetings. Looks like it's official, folks.
Source: AllThingsD
