Don Mattrick

Don Mattrick

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Mattrick in 2010
Born (1964-02-13) February 13, 1964[1]
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nationality Canadian
Known for work in Distinctive Software, Inc; Electronic Arts; Microsoft; Zynga

Don A. Mattrick[2] (born 13 February 1964) is the former CEO of social gaming company Zynga,[3] as well as a member of its board of directors. Previously, Mattrick was the President of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft.[4] In this role, he was responsible for a collection of consumer businesses including Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Xbox One, Kinect, TV Music and Video services, Microsoft Mediaroom, as well as PC and mobile interactive entertainment. Prior to joining Microsoft in 2007, Mattrick served as the President of Worldwide Studios for Electronic Arts, where he worked for 15[5] years. At the age of 17, Mattrick founded Distinctive Software, Inc. which was acquired by Electronic Arts in 1991 and subsequently became EA Canada.

Distinctive Software, Inc.

Main article: Distinctive Software

With Jeff Sember, Mattrick co-founded Distinctive Software, Inc. (DSI) in 1982 at the age of 17. He implemented games such as Test Drive for the Apple II, Commodore 64, and PC DOS. DSI became known for racing and sports games until it was acquired by Electronic Arts in 1991.[6][7]

Electronic Arts

Mattrick served in a variety of leadership positions at Electronic Arts and prior to leaving the company in 2005,[8] served as the President of Worldwide Studios for Electronic Arts where he oversaw EA's global studios and research and development in several major sites, including Redwood Shores, Calif. (Silicon Valley), EALA in Los Angeles, EA Tiburon in Florida, EA Canada in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Montreal, and EA UK in Chertsey, England. Mattrick was best known at EA for having helped bring to life a few game franchises such as Need for Speed, Harry Potter and The Sims.

Microsoft

Following his retirement from Electronic Arts in February 2007, Mattrick was asked by Robbie Bach to serve as an external advisor to the Entertainment and Devices Division. In July 2007, Mattrick then officially joined Microsoft as a Senior Vice President overseeing the Xbox 360 and PC gaming businesses.[9] In the six years since Mattrick has overseen the division, the Xbox 360 installed base has grown from 10 million to more than 76 million worldwide, while the Xbox LIVE membership has increased from 6 million to over 48 million.[10][11] At the same time Mattrick is recognized for moving the interactive business from an operating loss into a sustained and profitable business for the company.

Mattrick is also largely credited for his work in developing Kinect for Xbox 360. Mattrick unveiled Kinect under the code-name of “Project Natal” at E3 2009 on stage with Steven Spielberg.[12][13] Kinect which is a “controller-free gaming and entertainment experience” for Xbox 360 launched in November 2010 worldwide and sold over 8 million units in the first 60 days, making it the fastest-selling consumer electronic device, according to Guinness World Records.[14] By early March 2011, the device reached 10 million in device sales.[15] The product has been seen as highly innovative and has won numerous awards including being named one of the top inventions of the year from Time Magazine.

In October 2010, Mattrick was promoted to President of the Interactive Entertainment Business, a role that had him reporting directly to the CEO of Microsoft, Steve Ballmer. In this role he was responsible for a collection of consumer businesses including Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, Kinect, Music, and Video, as well as PC and mobile interactive entertainment.

Fortune Magazine in August 2011 named Don Mattrick one of the “Smartest People in Tech 2011” largely highlighting his ability to turn around the Xbox business and drive new consumer innovations like Kinect.[16] In May 2012, Don Mattrick was named one of CNN Money’s top 10 brilliant technology visionaries.[17]

On May 21, 2013, Mattrick unveiled the new Xbox One, the successor to the Xbox 360, an all-in-one entertainment system. He later dismissed criticisms of the system's "always on" internet connection by saying "We have a product for people who aren't able to get some form of connectivity; it's called Xbox 360."[18] Shortly thereafter, on June 19, 2013, Mattrick wrote an update on Xbox Wire to address feedback on Xbox One connectivity requirements and sharing limitations. Mattrick stated, "An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games" and "Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today". These changes may have come at the expense of most of the features that had been heavily promoted as unique and innovative by Microsoft, including Family Game Sharing, Digital loaning and sale of games, and disc-less game play.[19] The changes have been noted as being "ostensibly...a direct reaction to the huge popular backlash against the Xbox One's policies that reverberated through E3."[20]

Zynga

On July 1, 2013, it was confirmed that Mattrick was leaving Microsoft to join social game company Zynga as CEO.[21] Wall Street investors applauded Mattrick's appointment[22] and Zynga's shares jumped 10.4 percent on the day the news was made public and another 5.9 percent in after-hours trading following the official announcement.[23] On his first quarterly financial earnings call with Zynga, on July 25, 2013, Mattrick predicted volatility for the company over the coming 6 months to one year, stating a need to "get back to basics" and "take a longer term view on our products and business."[24]

On April 8, 2015, it was announced that Mattrick had resigned as Zynga's CEO, "effective immediately", and replaced by founder Mark Pincus, who called the departure "amicable".[25]

References

  1. ↑ "Don Mattrick". Giant Bomb. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  2. ↑ "E3 Expo 2009: Don Mattrick". microsoft.com. Microsoft.
  3. ↑ Aditya Dey. "Don Mattrick is the new CEO of Zynga, offered $50mn Salary Package". techstake.org. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  4. ↑ Microsoft Announces New Leadership Promotions
  5. ↑ Don Mattrick Corporate Bio at Zynga.com
  6. ↑ "Donald A. Mattrick Video Game Credits and Biography - MobyGames". MobyGames.
  7. ↑ "Electronic Arts acquires Distinctive Software Inc. (Brief Article)". highbeam.com.
  8. ↑ Gabriel Madway. "Electronic Arts realigns management". MarketWatch.
  9. ↑ Don taking over for Peter Moore
  10. ↑ Steve Ballmer email to employees on Don Mattrick transition. Microsoft.com (2013-07-01). Retrieved on 2013-07-14.
  11. ↑ "Microsoft Investor Relations - Press Releases". microsoft.com. Microsoft.
  12. ↑ "Microsoft unveils hands-free gaming - USATODAY.com". usatoday.com.
  13. ↑ E3 Expo 2009: Don Mattrick
  14. ↑ Kinect Confirmed As Fastest-Selling Consumer Electronics Device
  15. ↑ Kinect Sales Surpass Ten Million
  16. ↑ Smartest People in Tech 2011
  17. ↑ "10 brilliant technology visionaries". fortune.
  18. ↑ "Gamers Without Internet Can Stick With Xbox 360, Says Microsoft". IGN.
  19. ↑ "Your Feedback Matters – Update on Xbox One". xbox.com.
  20. ↑ "Xbox One: Then and Now". IGN.
  21. ↑ Crossley, Rob. "Confirmed: Xbox One boss Don Mattrick 'resigns'". Computer and Video Games. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  22. ↑ Steven Russolillo. "Zynga's New Chief Gets Thumbs Up on Wall Street". WSJ.
  23. ↑ David Lieberman, "Zynga Shares Zoom After It Taps Former Microsoft Entertainment Exec To Be CEO," Deadline New York, 7/1/2013
  24. ↑ Wall Street Journal, “Zynga’s Outlook Troubles Investors,” 7/25/2013
  25. ↑ Takahashi, Dean. "Zynga replaces CEO Don Mattrick with a familiar face — founder Marc Pincus". VentureBeat. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
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