Peter Moore Resigns (A Peter Moore Day exclusive!)

Well, it's happened. Peter Moore has handed in his notice for quote-un-quote, "Personal Reasons." He is moving his family back to the Bay Area - wherever that is - and taking the EA job.

So the king is dead, long live the king, I suppose. And the XBox's 360's new royalty is Don Mattrick, a former President of EA. Wow. How long will the wife-swapping continue?

The King

So Tuesday, 17th July will forever be remembered as Peter Moore day. I ask all my 0 readers to take a moments silence as you read the Official Press Release from that huge company in Redmond:

Microsoft Corp. today announced that Don Mattrick, a former president at Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), will lead the Interactive Entertainment Business (IEB), which includes overseeing the Xbox® and Games for Windows® businesses. Peter Moore, who currently serves as corporate vice president of IEB, has decided to move his family back to the Bay Area for personal reasons and has secured another opportunity in the video games industry.

Mattrick will take over as the senior vice president of IEB at Microsoft, effective July 30. Mattrick was the founder of Distinctive Software Inc., which operated as a private company from 1982 until its merger with EA in 1991. Mattrick held various senior positions within EA, most recently as president of Worldwide Studios, until his resignation in February 2006. In February 2007, Mattrick began working with the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft as an external advisor.

"Peter has contributed enormously to the games business since joining Microsoft in 2003 and we are sad to see him go," said Robbie Bach, president of Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. "Since that time, he presided over the global launch of the Xbox 360™, spearheaded a revitalized and rebranded Games for Windows business, and helped steer the console's ascent."
Moore has decided to return with his family to Northern California, where they lived until he took the position at Microsoft. Moore will remain at Microsoft to assist in the transition through August and will then return to the San Francisco Bay area.

"While Peter will certainly be missed, we are delighted to have one of the industry's most talented and passionate veterans on board to lead the business," Bach said. "Don is well-known and respected throughout the industry for his deep knowledge, technical expertise and management savvy. Under Don's leadership, the games team is looking forward to embarking on our biggest holiday ever, with a wide-ranging roster of some of the most highly anticipated titles."

Mattrick brings 23 years of games industry and development experience to the strong Microsoft management team, having helped bring to life such celebrated game franchises as the "Need for Speed," "Harry Potter" and "The Sims" while at EA.

"Over the past two decades, and the past few months in particular, I've worked closely with many of Microsoft's top leaders and I've always been impressed by their talent, passion and commitment," said Mattrick. "I'm thrilled to join an already strong team that's delivering truly amazing gaming experiences to customers around the world. I've never been more excited about the future of the industry, and firmly believe Microsoft will lead the next great innovations in gaming."

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Tuesday is now Peter Moore day

After the recent article about how Peter Moore responded to Sony's onslaught yesterday, you would be forgiven into thinking that Peter Moore will have had enough of being in the Games Daily limelight this Tuesday. However you are sadly mistaken. Rumours are now abound that Microsoft's corporate vice president of interactive entertainment business, entertainment and devices division, basically Mr.XBox, is leaving the company to secure himself a position within the upper annals of EA Sports.


EA and MS have been very close over the years but the fact that Moore once ran the sports business with giant Reebok and is rather outspoken over his love about all things sporty, could add some weight to the rumours.

It's that man again!

The question of salary must be a stumbling block, however as is there a company out there that can match a Microsoft-exec pay cheque? Also, going from "Mr. XBox" 360 to "bloke at EA" could be quite rightfully construed as a backward step.


Who knows?

The Empire Strikes Back

As was reported yesterday, Sony made a rather timely and somewhat scathing attack on Microsoft's XBox 360 console, labelling it as console that wouldn't last.

As expected, Peter Moore bursts out of the stables at a gallop in order to trample over Peter Dillies' less than charitable remarks yesterday. "Sony is failing in Japan!" Peter Moore remarked in an interview with GameDaily (no relation).

"Sony’s getting outsold by what, 6-to-1?” he stated. “You can bet that Sony built a long-term business plan about being successful in Japan and that business plan is crumbling.

“I built a business plan for Japan but I don't think my expectations in Japan were anything close to what Sony's expectations are. They are failing.

"They're missing their plan by much more than I'm missing my plan."

Peter Moore, smug, as we like him!

Moore is also very confident that the XBox 360 will outstrip the achievements of its first Xbox outing - which let's face it, can not be the most difficult job in the world. Still, Moore uses this precarious position as a platform for rebuttal:

“I think the plan we have built, that calls for cost reductions in hardware, clearly gives us an advantage in price that actually allows us to get to lower price points much sooner than Sony will.

“They can have a 'ten-year plan' all they like, but it's executing that plan and getting to the mass market with price points that counts, and I feel a lot closer to being able to do that than they do right now.”

So my console is better than yours! Nerr!