Andrew Wilson New Electronic Arts CEO

SEPT. 18, 2013 • Electronic Arts has pulled from within to fill the chief executive post vacated by the departure of John Riccitiello last March. Andrew Wilson, the executive vice president of EA Sports and the Origin online portal for digital games and services, has been tapped to become the Electronic Arts CEO. Wilson has substantial game studio experience that includes executive producer of the.....

Microsoft Grabs Nokia Hardware Biz

SEPT. 3, 2013 • With its 2011 partnership deal coming up for recommitment next year, Microsoft Corp. is paying €5.44 billion ($7.2 billion) to purchase Nokia Corp.’s phone business outright. The transaction amount is about one-quarter of Nokia’s 2012 sales. Of the total, €3.79 billion is devoted to purchasing Nokia’s devices business and 8,500 key patents, with €1.65 bill.....

NHN Spins Off Divisions

AUG. 9, 2013 • Thirteen years after it came on the scene, Next Human Network Corp. (NHN) has been in the process of spinning off its online gaming and online portal businesses since the beginning of the month. The Hangame division now operates as NHN Entertainment Co., while the.....

Activision Buys Freedom From Vivendi

JULY 26, 2013 • With €13.2 billion ($17.5 billion) in debt on its books Vivendi SA has been contemplating ways to pull money out of its 61% stake in publisher Activision Blizzard. In a huge $8.17 billion deal orchestrated by Activision Blizzard chief executive Bobby Kotick, the publisher will buy out Vivendi’s controlling stake. The agreement is structured around a 429 million share purchase by Activision Blizzard for $5.83 billion, and an additional 172.....

Don Mattrick Goes to Zynga

JULY 1, 2013 • After persistent rumors in recent months that Microsoft president of Interactive Entertainment Don Mattrick was destined to return in an executive capacity to Electronic Arts, the head of the Xbox business has instead taken over the chief executive’s office at Zynga from Mark Pincus. The Zynga founder will continue on as chairman of the company and chief product officer. Much as Peter Moore left Microsoft’s Xbox division soon after E3 .....

Machinima Seeks New Funding

JUNE 25, 2013 • Machinima.com, the online site best known for taking videos created by gamers promoting their in-game exploits and then publishing the content on YouTube, is reported to be in the hunt for a sizable new round of funding. According to The Wall Street Journal’s All T.....

Zynga Closes OMGPOP

JUNE 5, 2013 • This week Zynga announced it was cutting 18% of its workforce in the amount of 520 staffers. Part of that restructuring is the complete shuttering of OMGPOP, the mobile studio behind the Draw Something smartphone app that Zynga acquired for $180 million in March of 2012. D.....

Satoru Iwata Heads Nintendo of America

APRIL 24, 2013 • In addition to his ongoing duties as the global president of Nintendo Co, Ltd., Satoru Iwata is taking the chief executive reigns at Nintendo of America from Tatsumi Kimishima. The latter is being promoted to managing director at the home office in Kyoto where he will oversee the Corporate Analysis and Administration, and General Affairs divisions. Kimishima has been CEO of the U.S. branch since 2006. Current Nintendo of America president Reggie.....

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