Glu Mobile chief executive Greg Ballard has resigned from the mobile games company. The company didn’t give a reason for the departure, but Glu has been making a tough transition from older mobile games to games on smart phones such as the Apple iPhone.
The San Mateo, Calif.-based game publisher has struggled to keep its stock price up in the age of the iPhone. But its press release says Ballard’s departure doesn’t have to do with the company’s financial performance. The company also said that its second quarter results are within previous guidance.Ballard will stay on the board of directors until a replacement is named.
The company retained Egon Zehnder, an executive recruiting firm, to find CEO candidates.
In December, the company reorganized and said it would cut costs. Ballard also shifted the company’s resources so 30 percent of its efforts would focus on smart phone games for the iPhone and other platforms. Ballard has run the company for six years and said he is looking for a new challenge.
Over the years, Ballard has focused on making games by taking brands from other media, such as video game consoles, and adapting them for mobile gaming. But on the iPhone, many brands are falling flat while small, innovative titles from indie developers are the big winners.