The Only OMGPOP Employee To Turn Down Zynga, Bravo!
Last year, I had the pleasure of reviewing this amazing game called Connectrode. It was beautifully done, down to the last pixel and tranquil music. Shay Pierce made this game for his wife; and you can tell. It’s carefully crafted, and a lot of love was put into it. I still play the game, in fact. How could I not when I referred to it as “what it feels like to be playing Tetris with Buddha on some alternate plane of existence.”
This is my favorite part of my job. The people. The developers. Seeing people so passionate about something that they won’t give it up for anything. That right there is how you live your life.
I was surprised to see Pierce’s name littered all over the blogosphere today. I had no idea he was now working with OMGPOP. And, in case you’ve been living under a rock, OMGPOP was just bought out by Zynga. Does that make you shudder, too? Because it surely made Pierce shudder.
Pierce told Gamasutra that he became uneasy about the new Zynga contract, as Zynga not only bought OMGPOP, but would take the staff along with it. The contract was a problem. Pierce was forced to choose: a job with Zynga, or Connectrode.
He tried to make it work, but his efforts were rejected. And then he realized something: Zynga is evil. He didn’t want to compromise his values for this company, let alone give up the game he is so proud of, the game that means so much to him on many levels.
So, he politely declined the job offer with Zynga, being the only OMGPOP employee to do so. (Please be sure to read the full story on Gamasutra.)
And you know what? That is more than inspiring. And with all of the press he is getting, Pierce will be picked up in no time. In the meantime, go purchase Connectrode to support him. It really is a wonderful game.
We wish you the best, Shay! I'm personally excited to see that Deep Plaid Games is back in business.
