News Byte

Former OMGPOP CEO Dan Porter Lands Top Digital Job at WME

Dan Porter, the former CEO of gaming company OMGPOP, is now running digital for heavyweight talent agency WME, working out of its New York City outpost. Porter, who had been advising the company for several months, will now “oversee all of the company’s online and mobile initiatives and help identify digital opportunities for clients.” Porter sold OMGPOP to Zynga in March 2012, and stayed at the social games company for a year after that.

News Byte

Zynga Shutters Four OMGPOP Titles

Zynga recently announced it plans to discontinue four games created by OMGPOP, the studio that Zynga acquired for $200 million last year. The four games — Cupcake Corner, Gem Rush, Pool World Champ and Snoops — will cease to operate on August 29. Zynga also announced it will shut down OMGPOP.com, the site which hosts the four shuttered games.

Go Far West, Young Startup: SoftBank Capital and Yahoo Japan in $20M Fund to Bring U.S. Entrepreneurs There

Breaking into the Asian market is not easy.

Voices

App Non Gratis

What matters more than hitting the Top 10 is the ability to stay in the Top 10.

Zynga Rejiggers Comp in a Bid to Retain Top Execs and Tie to Performance

Money makes the world go around, but can it turn around the online gaming giant?

A Year After OMGPOP Sale, Zynga Exec Dan Porter Leaves

He drew something.
dan_porter1

News Byte

Remember Draw Something? Here Comes the Sequel.

Last year’s mobile one-hit wonder Draw Something is getting a sequel, per this tweet from OMGPOP CEO Dan Porter. Porter was responding to a tweet by Ryan Seacrest with a Draw Something 2 screenshot depicting “American Idol’s” Randy Jackson and Mariah Carey. Zynga acquired OMGPOP last year, but the popularity of Draw Something plummeted shortly thereafter. Zynga had to write down the acquisition by as much as $95 million.

Mind-Boggling: The Numbers Behind Ruzzle’s Rise (And Fall?)

Eat our D-U-S-T, Zynga … hey, wait, where’s everyone going?

Go West, Young Geek: Chris Dixon on Why He Became a Silicon Valley VC at Andreessen Horowitz, and More! (Video)

If you can make it here, you’ll make it anywhere.

News Byte

After Leaving Zynga, Wilson Kriegel Surfaces at Paltalk

Wilson Kriegel has been named president and COO of Paltalk, a provider of group video calls. Prior to joining the New York company, Kriegel was at Zynga, having joined the social games maker through the acquisition of OMGPOP, where he was chief revenue officer. Kriegel will be responsible for Paltalk’s growth and research and business development.

Zynga’s Next Gamble: An Ad Platform