Peter Moore — loveable, cuddly, straight-shootin’ ex-Xbox spokes-Liverpudlian — has moved on to head up EA’s sports division. Stepping into the role of Senior Vice President, Interactive Entertainment Business, Entertainment and Devices Division, is industry veteran Don Mattrick.

Who?

He’s no slouch, with 25 years of games-industry experience on his side and a résumé filled with hit games for successful publishers. Unfortunately, Mattrick was too busy with official swearing-in ceremonies in the Microsoft secret treehouse to grant us an interview, but here’s what you need to know to compliment him if you run into him at a cocktail party:

He's been in the biz since he was 17.
Don Mattrick co-founded Distinctive Software in 1982 and helped design some of the biggest PC hits of the day, including 4-D Boxing, 4th & Inches, HardBall II, and the way-ahead-of-itstime racing construction set Stunts. Mattrick also created Unlimited Software in 1988, solely to port NES and arcade hits such as After Burner, Castlevania, and Metal Gear to home-computer platforms of the day.

Stunts was also known as 4D Sports Driving. Either way, it was awesome.

He designed Test Drive.
Mattrick is listed as one of the designers and programmers of the title often cited as launching the driving-sim genre. Gamers jumped into a Porsche 911, Chevy Corvette, Lotus Esprit, or Lamborghini Countach (manual transmissions only!) and went on a cockpit-view, low-res joyride, using a radar detector to avoid hassles from the law. With heavy modifications and several detours, this franchise is still alive today, but the original Test Drive paved the way for racing sims on computer platforms. Look for Don’s name on the sign of the game’s gas station.

Because "Mattrick's" wouldn't fit, we suppose.

He brought EA to the Great White North.
While many of Distinctive’s projects were published by Accolade and Broderbund, the company would eventually become EA Canada when Electronic Arts bought it in 1991. EA Canada grew to incorporate Black Box Studios, and it brought gamers the modern incarnation of the Need for Speed franchise, as well as all the SSX titles and this year’s Skate.

Don Mattrick indrectly made Skate appear? Nice trick!

You may remember him from previous Microsoft press conferences.
Whenever Microsoft’s held an Xbox-related press conference, Don Mattrick has represented EA. In 2004, when EA finally pledged support for Xbox Live, it was Mattrick, as Head of Worldwide Studios, who introduced the cavalcade of stars, including Muhammad Ali. “I know it took a while for us to get here,” Mattrick said to the crowd, “but EA is committed to making great online experiences and helping you grow the Xbox Live community.” Over the next few years, titles like Fight Night, Burnout Revenge, and that Madden thing proved him right.

That's Don in the blue shirt and khakis, to the right of Ali.

Mattrick left EA because he didn’t want to be in charge of a public company.
“Don would have been on a short list of internal candidates that might move into the CEO role," ex–EA CEO Larry Probst told the San Jose Mercury News in September 2005. “Don came to the conclusion that he was not interested in running a public company. And that he did not want to be doing the same job in five years or 10 years.” So, after officially leaving EA in February 2006…what’s he doing at the helm of a not-in-the-least-bit-private company like Microsoft? Approaching it with a clear head, apparently: After an extended vacation following his EA gig, Mattrick signed on as an advisor for Microsoft’s games and entertainment business in February of this year, getting into the back end of projects like the Zune. “Anytime someone of Don Mattrick’s caliber becomes available to you in any capacity, you grab him with both arms,” said Peter Moore at the time. “We couldn’t be happier.”