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XBLA main man jumps ship photo

In somewhat surprising news, Greg Canessa, the big guy behind Xbox Live Arcade, has left the Microsoft compound for PopCap Games. For those unaware, Greg was a big deal for Microsoft and was key in making sure Xbox Live Arcade was a success. Why is he leaving? Next Gen found out:

“That being said, XBLA is now established and the business is out of its infancy. While I love Microsoft and Xbox 360, I'm an entrepreneur at heart and I love creating and defining new businesses. I'm also a huge gamer, and getting back into the game development space is important to me. And finally, I miss the nimbleness and agility that a small company can offer.
 
“This is what attracted me to PopCap. Of all the companies out there, PopCap gets it like no other when it comes to making awesome, broad appeal games…Honestly, I think we are looking at what could be the next Blizzard or EA in the game industry with PopCap, and I want to be a part of that.”

Canessa's new role at PopCap games will be as VP of video game platforms. 


Continue: More Xbox Live Arcade stories





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12 comments | showing # 1 to 12

Dale North's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/08/2007 10:12
Dale North
He probably got the hookup as far as pay goes, too.
tazarthayoot's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/08/2007 10:14
tazarthayoot
I'd imagine cash was the biggest factor, if I had a cush job at Microsoft it'd take a lot of greenbacks to get me to leave, that's for sure.
dorock's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/08/2007 10:15
dorock
Popcap games the new EA or Blizzard.

Interesting, well seeing what he did with XBLA wonder what he has in store for Popcap.
Hipple's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/08/2007 10:23
Hipple
Would that make Bookworm the new Madden? Or WoW? Somehow I don't see 8 million people playing Bookworm one day...
Lolthien's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/08/2007 10:39
Lolthien
Well there hipple, while not necessarily having the big audience a Madden has.. I think you'd be surprised at the numbers of people playing PopCap games. I don't work for them or anything (although I'm always interested.. hint hint), but PopCap has made some of the most accessible and entertaining pickup and play games of the last 5 or 6 years.

Just because their games don't cost $60 bucks in the store or $50million to produce doesn't mean they aren't popular as hell.
Justice's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/08/2007 10:47
Justice
Popcap? You mean the mobile phone game makers?
tazarthayoot's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/08/2007 10:51
tazarthayoot
Popcap made Bejewled and games like that. Bookworm comes to mind as well.
bhive01's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/08/2007 10:58
bhive01
Nintendo or Sony should have picked them up, to fix the bastardized services they put out last year.
Snaileb 's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/08/2007 11:06
Snaileb
bhive your post makes me curse them for not doing so. I agree.
Frost's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/08/2007 12:34
Frost
bhive01 says:
02/08/2007 10:58
Nintendo or Sony should have picked them up, to fix the bastardized services they put out last year.

You're right...if they were smart enough...one of them should have picked up PopCap for their online service...stupid Nintendo stupid Sony...lol
xtofuconsumerx's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/08/2007 13:05
xtofuconsumerx
I am surprised that XBLA did not pick up Pop Cap.
Lolthien's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/08/2007 13:59
Lolthien
Well.. XBLA does have several PopCap games on it. I doubt XBLA can purchase other whole companies.. and as far as I know, MS has not released even 1 first party Live title at all.
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