FarmVille maker says goodbye to yet another executive ... sort of

Now that we think of it, there's probably a reason why Zynga's loss of COO John Schappert didn't go down this ... smoothly. Mike Verdu (pictured), the CityVille creator's CCO for the past three years, has announced that he has left the company. The former Zynga exec made the announcement on the company blog with a heartfelt farewell and a hint of what's to come from the gaming veteran.

"I'm very proud of my part in building this remarkable company, especially in growing and nurturing what has become a vibrant community of game designers, producers, and creative leaders. These are the people who will create the entertainment experiences of the future," Verdu wrote. "Now, however, it's time for me to try something new. Being at Zynga in the early days reminded me of how much I love being an entrepreneur. After a lot of soul-searching, I have decided to go back to my roots and start a new company."

Inside Social Games reports that Verdu's new company will be supported by Zynga as its first investor, so it's likely we'll see more of the former CCO's work through, say, Zynga's game publishing program. Verdu has nothing more to say of his new venture at the moment, but given his pedigree in the games industry, it will most likely involve games--ahem--interactive entertainment.

[Image Credit: Mike Verdu]

Are you surprised to see Zynga lose another top-level employee? Will we see Verdu's work through Zynga again? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.