EA loses last remaining Playfish co-founder as Segerstrale jumps ship

Credited by many as fuelling EA's digital drive in recent years, Playfish co-founder Kristian Segerstrale is to leave the company to return to the world of startups, it's been revealed.

Segerstrale is the last of the Playfish founders still at the publishing giant, and has pushed the games-as-a-service ideal during his time at the company EA having acquired Playfish back in 2009.

His duties as EVP of digital content will now be taken on COO Peter Moore, with CEO John Riccitiello informing staff in an internal memo that Segerstrale's departure will trigger a "consolidation of the digital publishing, marketing and Origin groups that make up EA Digital."

Giving thanks

"I want to thank Kristian for the vision and tireless energy that he invested to help make EA Digital what it is today: a highly-efficient and digitally-tuned operation unlike anything else in the gaming industry," added Riccitiello in the memo.

"Kristian's contributions strengthened EA and we wish him well in the future."

Many believe EA's acquisition of Playfish fired the starting pistol on a rush by the big boys to get a hand in the then burgeoning social gaming market, legitimising the business of generating revenue from the sale of virtual currencies and items.

Playfish itself, however, has been pulled back from the limelight in recent years, with Business Insider having branded the acquisition a dud last summer following EA's decision to showcase SimCity for Facebook at E3 without any Playfish executives to hand.

"Playfish just doesn't have much juice left," said Business Insider's Matt Lynley at the time.

"The utter lack of attention to its prized studio during what is supposed to be the launch of one of its biggest social games ever is basically the final nail in Playfish's coffin."

[source: TechCrunch]