EA cofounder Bing Gordon on why EA missed mobile – and what Zynga got right
Bing Gordon, Electronic Arts’ cofounder and former chief creative officer, has reflected on EA’s failure to capitalize on the mobile gaming boom of the early 2010s. Speaking ahead of the release of his new book “Everybody Wins: What Games Teach Us About Making Products People Love,” Gordon attributed the publisher’s misstep to being overly cautious and slow to adapt to the emerging mobile space.
This gap in vision allowed Zynga to dominate the social and mobile gaming market during the explosive early 2010s, establishing itself as the clear leader in a segment EA effectively ceded. Gordon’s unique perspective comes from firsthand experience on both sides of this divide—he served as EA’s chief creative officer until 2008, when he transitioned to become a partner at Kleiner Perkins and joined Zynga’s board, where he remained until Take-Two Interactive’s acquisition of the company.
In the interview, Gordon also discussed the evolution of social games, how investor sentiment has shifted over the years, and the emerging role of artificial intelligence in game development. His book, co-authored with Chloe Gordon, was released on October 29 and explores how gaming mechanics and principles can inform the creation of products that resonate with consumers.