Microsoft, EA expand executive suites

By Tor Thorsen, GameSpotPosted Aug 8, 2007 6:54 pm PT

Former EA-er John Schappert now heading Live efforts; ex-Palm-er Barry Cottle tapped to top EA Mobile.

Last month, Microsoft announced it was losing Xbox marketing chief Peter Moore to EA Sports...and replacing him with former EA executive Don Mattrick. Today, the company announced it was hiring another ex-EA exec, John Schappert, to head its online gaming efforts in Xbox Live and Windows Live.

John Schappert

In 1994, Schappert founded Florida developer Tiburon Entertainment, which went on to become EA Tiburon, maker of the megapopular Madden NFL series and much less popular Superman Returns. At Microsoft, he will assume the all-new position of "corporate vice president of Live, software, and services." He will report to Mattrick, the senior vice president of Microsoft's still-unprofitable Interactive Entertainment Business, which includes the Xbox and Games for Windows units.

Meanwhile, back in Redwood City, California, EA today announced that it, too, has hired a new executive. The publisher has appointed Barry Cottle, former COO of Palm Computing's mobile content and wireless service divisions, as senior vice president and general manager of EA Mobile. EA Mobile is part of EA Casual--one of EA's four recently reorganized divisions--and was created after EA bought independent mobile-game developer Jamdat in late 2005.

43 Comments

  • packernation31

    Posted Aug 14, 2007 12:02 am PT

    looks like microsoft is trading employees with EA

  • sunnystarz

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 2:12 pm PT

    microsoft is best friend with EA sports is not a bad thing

  • bigmick07

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 6:15 pm PT

    Looks like Microsoft wins, by taking two corporate leaders, and losing only 1. But i think we'll all miss Peter Moore at Microsoft.

  • skyman_1981

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 2:18 pm PT

    This kind of makes me think of a merge or buyout. I know EA is huge but in comparison to MS, it is very feasable.

  • rav44

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 11:59 am PT

    wow, 360 is gonna have a lot of exclusives in 2008.

  • MasterChief725

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 11:20 am PT

    im gonna miss peter moore...the way he said xbox 360 was frikin awesome

  • diablo_del_bano

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 11:04 am PT

    10 billion dollars is chump change to a company that makes over 50 billion dollars per year

  • neonblueshadow

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 10:58 am PT

    ummm Nintendo is profiting for every Wii sold. the Wii hardware isn't costing much at all.

  • Pie_FOREVER

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 9:38 am PT

    VolcanoMan001, I think you're the one who should keep dreaming. You obviously don't know **** about economics. Tell me this, why are Nintendo and Sony happyily meeting margins and not making a loss on every console sold while Microsoft continues to lose a substansial amount on advertising, the hit they took for their warranty, more advertising, as well as all the money they have yet to make back?

    Neither Sony nor Nintendo are in that position. You're fooling yourself into believing you're better than everyone else. The fact stands their game division. Whether you'd like to admit it or not, the facts are there. And you're just in denial

  • VolcanoMan001

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 9:20 am PT

    Keep dreaming Pie_FOREVER. They do NOT look at the money as "added up" they look at it quarterly and yearly. Once they make a single dime in profit (projected at the end of this year even with the 1 billion charge) then that will be all the justification they need. You just don't understand; the earnings reports looks for lessening losses. As long as the losses are not becoming greater then investors are happy because they recognize that any new expansion comes with years of initial loss. It is called "investment".

  • Pie_FOREVER

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 8:58 am PT

    It's sad to see people get disagrees for stating fact. The fact stands Microsoft hasn't made a single penny of profit from their entertainment/game division since it started. They are reaching nearly 10 billion dollars of money they have yet to make back, and it's a hole growing ever deeper.

    I don't get why Microsoft thinks they can pull this off. This isn't going to last forever. If you think 10 billion dollars is "chump change" to Microsoft (as many would use in their arguments), you have never been to an economics and marketing class in your life.

    10 billion dollars is not chump change to ANY company. Microsoft's gaming division is failing, whether you like to hear it or not. It's fact and not some biased fanboy spouting garbage about another company. You can go spend a few minutes on Google and look it up yourself .

  • maxxorz

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 8:44 am PT

    I'm gonna miss Peter Moore

  • The_Weekend

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 8:03 am PT

    what?!

  • fiskmaas

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 8:03 am PT

    Seconding _UweBoll's comment.

  • pete_merlin

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 7:45 am PT

    who cares. give me a good game dammit!

  • GMAN32X

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 7:24 am PT

    LOL, this is like a Fantasy Management League. I'll trade you my Chief Marketing Officer for your Corporate Vice President and a first round draft pick.

  • The_Fell_One

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 7:16 am PT

    Prtofdacrowd: EA owns 25% of Ubisoft, and EA is looking to finish that off until they have the voting majority, so it won't be long until Ubisoft and EA are the same publisher. So you might say that Microsoft is already getting good with Ubisoft.

  • demoralizer

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 7:15 am PT

    Maybe MS is giving up and EA will take over for the Xbox brand. It would be better then making their own console, the xbox has an established base with the highest attachment rate with a booming online marketplace and super successful Halo franchise.

    What does this mean for Xbox fans, exclusive EA titles.

  • darthzew

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 5:21 am PT

    I hope this guy decides to get more ambitious than he did with Superman Returns, if not it might not be so pretty.

  • baller72

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 5:21 am PT

    Ok it seems that Microsoft has Ea all rapped up...maybe Sony should try to get good with 2k sports.

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