Before Don Mattrick surprised everyone with the announcement that he was leaving Microsoft to join Zynga as its CEO, the former Xbox boss was reportedly interested in acquiring the social gaming company. According to Bloomberg, Mattrick met with Zynga founder and then CEO Mark Pincus in 2010 about Microsoft potentially purchasing the company. Microsoft was reportedly interested in bolstering the Xbox’s social gaming offerings, however negotiations eventually broke down. Since then, Zynga filed for an initial public offering in December of 2011 and has seen its share price decline by more than 60%. To make matters worse, gamers are also spending less time playing the company’s games. Mattrick, who begins his role as chief executive at Zynga on Monday, faces a number of challenges as he looks to turn the company around.
Former Xbox boss wanted Microsoft to buy Zynga before leaving to become Zynga’s CEO
Published Jul 8th, 2013 8:30PM EDT
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Dan joins the BGR team as the Android Editor, covering all things relating to Google’s premiere operating system. His work has appeared on Fox News, Fox Business and Yahoo News, among other publications. When he isn’t testing the latest devices or apps, he can be found enjoying the sights and sounds of New York City.
