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Heirless Probst Says EA 'Fine' As Key Execs Leave
Greg Levine, 09.06.05, 1:08 PM ET
NEW YORK - Game over: Electronic Arts (nasdaq: ERTS - news - people ) announced it will change leadership as two top players plan to leave the videogame company.
Don Mattrick, president of EA Worldwide Studios, will quit the firm after 23 years. Also leaving is Bruce McMillan, executive vice president of the studios.
According to a report in the San Jose Mercury News, the exits bear extra importance for EA Chief Executive Lawrence Probst: Mattrick was on a "short list" to succeed him. Unfortunately for succession plans, though, "Don came to the conclusion that he was not interested in running a public company, and that he did not want to be doing the same job in five years or ten years," the Mercury quoted Probst as saying.
The No. 1 independent game publisher now lacks a clear throne pretender. John Riccitiello, the ex-chief operating officer, left last year; the COO post has not been filled.
But Probst insists the situation is well in hand. He said Mattrick's "right-hand man," Paul Lee, will be named the new president of EA Worldwide Studios, overseeing EA's creative talent and the game development process. "The message is that things are fine and we have good people in place," Probst said.
Perhaps Mattrick and McMillan will resurface at EA archrivals like, say, Take Two Interactive Software (nasdaq: TTWO - news - people ) unit Rockstar Games--infamous for its Grand Theft Auto series (see: "Eibeler's Take Two Sees Losses On Rating Change")--or at Midway Games (nyse: MWY - news - people ), majority owned by deep-pocketed Viacom (nyse: VIAb - news - people ) Chairman Sumner Redstone.
If so, they haven't told Probst. The CEO said he didn't know what the outgoing execs would do in the future, but noted they were parting on good terms and will stay on for a few months to wrap up current projects.
Heirless Probst Says EA 'Fine' As Key Execs Leave
Greg Levine, 09.06.05, 1:08 PM ET
NEW YORK - Game over: Electronic Arts (nasdaq: ERTS - news - people ) announced it will change leadership as two top players plan to leave the videogame company.
Don Mattrick, president of EA Worldwide Studios, will quit the firm after 23 years. Also leaving is Bruce McMillan, executive vice president of the studios.
According to a report in the San Jose Mercury News, the exits bear extra importance for EA Chief Executive Lawrence Probst: Mattrick was on a "short list" to succeed him. Unfortunately for succession plans, though, "Don came to the conclusion that he was not interested in running a public company, and that he did not want to be doing the same job in five years or ten years," the Mercury quoted Probst as saying.
The No. 1 independent game publisher now lacks a clear throne pretender. John Riccitiello, the ex-chief operating officer, left last year; the COO post has not been filled.
But Probst insists the situation is well in hand. He said Mattrick's "right-hand man," Paul Lee, will be named the new president of EA Worldwide Studios, overseeing EA's creative talent and the game development process. "The message is that things are fine and we have good people in place," Probst said.
Perhaps Mattrick and McMillan will resurface at EA archrivals like, say, Take Two Interactive Software (nasdaq: TTWO - news - people ) unit Rockstar Games--infamous for its Grand Theft Auto series (see: "Eibeler's Take Two Sees Losses On Rating Change")--or at Midway Games (nyse: MWY - news - people ), majority owned by deep-pocketed Viacom (nyse: VIAb - news - people ) Chairman Sumner Redstone.
If so, they haven't told Probst. The CEO said he didn't know what the outgoing execs would do in the future, but noted they were parting on good terms and will stay on for a few months to wrap up current projects.