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PopCap Founder John Vechey Leaves Studio After 15 Years
PopCap co-founder John Vechey has announced his departure from the studio he helped found 15 years ago. Vechey took over the role of CEO in January of this year.
Vechey’s co-founders, Dave Roberts and Jason Kapalka both left the studio earlier this year. They followed colleague Brian Fiete, who left the team in 2010.
In a letter posted to EA’s corporate blog, Vechey says that he will be spending some of his time working with non-profit environmental news site Grist.org. He’ll also be furthering his studies in non-violence, peace, and social justice.
The full text of his letter follows.
My Dearest PopCap,
Over the years we have laughed, we have cried, we have clinked gems, blasted balls, collected sun and went on an amazing win streak together. But, sadly, today my time at PopCap comes to an end.
Taking a sabbatical gave me time to get married, watch Izzy’s first steps, and take a step back to appreciate what I have in life, and what the future has in store.
When I founded PopCap my biggest goals were to have a good time and to make great games. PopCap's vision has always been to make people happy through games, and I believe we are achieving that every day. Today, I am proud of this company we have built together. Proud of the games we make and proud to have worked with all of you. I will miss you greatly.
The future is bright for PopCap. We have some amazing games live, with millions of people enjoying them every day. We have some great games in production, which will surprise and delight players over the coming year. We have a robust prototyping investment, which will fuel new brands and new games for PopCap for years to come.
The future is also bright for EA and I continue to believe in Andrew’s vision of a company that puts its players first. The best years are ahead for both EA and PopCap, and I look forward to watching development teams live up to what it means to be electronic artists.
So, what's next?
Many of you know me as the energetic, happy-go-lucky founder of PopCap, and I want to use that energy to give something back for awhile until I figure out what's next. I will be spending some time working with environmental news non-profit Grist.org, of which I am a board member. I’ll be taking some non-violence workshops, furthering some of the things I’ve learned from being part of the Quaker community, while I explore peace and social justice issues, such as war abolition, prison reform, poverty and the effects of race and gender privilege.
And after that? Who knows what the future will hold. Maybe I’ll stick with non-profit work, maybe start a new company, or maybe join a bigger one. For now, I’m going to focus on getting some space, so I can appreciate the last fifteen years. :-)
So, this is goodbye for now, PopCap. I will always love you.
John
New leadership has been appointed for the studio, which will be led by Steve Mauri (COO), Cara Ely (director of game design), and Jon David (vice president of social games). EA reiterates that a new Peggle game is in development (revealed on a recent financial earnings call).
“Working with people like John is what continues to make this industry great: creative, talented, and always a lot of fun,” writes EA mobile boss Frank Gibeau. “We wish him nothing but the best as he steps away from PopCap and EA to pursue his other passions in life.”
[Source: EA]
Our Take
If you saw John Vechey’s stage jump at E3 2013, you know how energetic and enthusiastic he is about his work. We wish him the best in whatever comes next for him professionally and personally.
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