CHAPTER 9

Jason Kapalka

Cofounder, PopCap Games

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Jason Kapalka left his journalism career behind when he joined the Total Entertainment Network as a producer in 1995. Only six years later, he had cofounded PopCap Games with John Vechey and Brian Fiete, and introduced the world to the Bejeweled phenomenon.

Acquired by EA in 2011 for $1.3 billion, PopCap Games is now the leading developer of casual games, such as Zuma, Peggle, and Plants vs. Zombies. The Bejeweled series alone boasts more than 75 million copies sold and more than 500 million downloads.

Today, Vechey, Fiete, and Kapalka—who served as chief game designer until 2014—are no longer with ...

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