Xbox chief jumps ship to EA

Mike Bantick
Wednesday, 18 July 2007 08:04

Your IT - Entertainment

Is it a case of the King Rat leaving the ship?  Peter Moore, head of Microsoft’s gaming business has announced he is leaving to join game developer/publisher behemoth Electronic Arts (EA).

A report from Reuters details Moore’s departure following a critically successful E3 Media & Business Summit showing.

It also comes at a time when, though Microsoft has gained credibility with its Xbox 360 Next-Gen gaming console, and a solid stable of established as well as forthcoming gaming titles, is suffering an image problem for breakdowns with the dreaded “red-ring of death” errors seemingly plaguing the system.

Microsoft, under Moore’s leadership has taken ownership of the problem, alluding to a possible hit of up to US$1.15 billion to fix the faulty consoles.

According to the report and Microsoft’s president of entertainment and devices division, Robbie Bach, there is no correlation between Moore’s departure and the quality issues; "It's just how things fall. A lot of this timing was driven by Electronic Arts," said Bach, president of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division that includes the Xbox 360. "Peter's a sports nut, so it's a good job for Peter."

EA has always treated the Xbox 360 platform with a kind and to a certain extent innovative eye.  Bringing past PC based Real Time Strategy titles such as Battle for Middle Earth and Command and Conquer 3 to the console is an example of the companies support.

Moore will remain at Microsoft until September 1, from July 30 however his role will be taken on by Don Mattrick, a former Electronic Arts executive who has been with Microsoft gaming for the past six months as an advisor.