14 DAY TRIAL // Don Mattrick made an official statement alongside Zynga about his move from Microsoft to the social games company, promising that he wants to help it reach its full potential alongside former CEO Mark Pincus.
Mattrick made a name for himself first at Electronic Arts for many years and then at Microsoft, as he led the company during the early days of the Xbox 360 and helped oversee the creation of the upcoming Xbox One next-gen console.
Now, the executive has resigned from his position at Microsoft and has joined Zynga as CEO, replacing founder Mark Pincus, who remains as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Product Officer.
According to an official statement sent by Zynga, Mattrick is quite thrilled about his new position.
"In its short history, Zynga has redefined entertainment and brought social gaming to the mainstream. More than 1 billion people across web and mobile have installed Zynga games, and franchises like FarmVille and Words With Friends have become a part of people's daily lives," Mattrick said.
"I joined Zynga because I believe that Mark's pioneering vision and mission to connect the world through games is just getting started. Zynga is a great business that has yet to realize its full potential. I'm proud to partner with Mark to deliver high-quality, fun, social games wherever people want to play."
Pincus has also made a statement, confirming his faith in Mattrick and noting his years of experience in the gaming industry and how it will help Zynga get back on its feet during its troubled times.
"Don is unique in the game business," Pincus said. "He can execute in multiple domains -- hardware, software and network, and he's been the person responsible for game franchises like 'Need for Speed,' 'FIFA' and 'The Sims.' He's one of the top executives in the overall entertainment business and he's a great coach who has inspired people to do their best work and build strong, productive teams."
"He deeply understands the value of a network and the importance of creating lifelong consumer relationships. I'm excited to partner with Don and the rest of our team to return Zynga to its leadership role in inventing and growing Play as a core human experience."
No other details have been revealed about the first projects that will be overseen by Pincus and Mattrick and, given the fact that the company went through a major restructuring process that saw lots of employees laid off, it's unlikely to see new games anytime soon.