PopCap CEO retiring, co-founder to take the reigns (update)

PopCap Games CEO Dave Roberts will retire and be replaced by co-founder John Vechey, Venture Beat reports.

In an interview with the publication, Vechey described Roberts, who joined PopCap in 2005, as the "business leader to help us bring structure to our creative chaos and set us on a sustainable path." Poised to take the helm, Vechy said that "PopCap's mission right now is to create the greatest mobile game studio in the world, and we're going to do that by only making games that are beloved by players"

The incoming CEO also said that the studio, which recently released Peggle 2 exclusively for Xbox One, will focus on creating new intellectual property.

"We have under-invested in new IP," he said. "Getting more new IP out per year is the goal. We want to formalize the creative process and get it to scale better."

Vechey co-founded PopCap in 2000, and the studio went on to create franchises like Bejeweled, Peggle and Plants vs. Zombies. Electronic Arts acquired PopCap in 2011 for approximately $650 million in cash plus $100 million in EA stock.

We've reached out to PopCap for confirmation and will update this story with more information as we receive it.

Update: A representative from EA provided Polygon with the following statement from John Vechey.

"We wish Dave all the best," Vechey said. "When Dave joined PopCap, we needed a business leader to help us bring structure to our creative chaos and set us on a sustainable path. He has made a huge mark on PopCap, and we thank deeply him for it as he embraces his new adventure. I continue to be the most passionate believer in PopCap, and I'm excited and honored about taking over as PopCap GM."