Peter Moore Resigns From Microsoft - First Take

Michael Gartenberg | July 17, 2007, 04:10 PM

Just got off the phone with Robbie Bach who broke the news that Peter Moore is leaving Microsoft. He will be succeeded by Don Mattrick, a former president at Electronic Arts who will be in charge of Xbox.

What does this mean? Not as much as some folks might think. As my grandfather was fond of saying, the cemeteries are full of people who couldn't be replaced. While Peter has been instrumental in leading the Xbox charge, there's more to this story than any one individual.

I've had the privilege of working with Peter in different roles through the years and no doubt, he's going to have a strong impact in the future of the gaming industry.

At this point, Don does have some big shoes to fill and while the Xbox is doing well in the market, there's a number of challenges that they face going forward. Don needs to articulate his strategy relatively soon, especially as we head into the all important fourth quarter.