RockYou CEO Stepping Down, Continues To Work With Developer

A month after announcing layoffs to its non-gaming divisions, social media company RockYou has revealed that co-founder Lance Tokuda is stepping down from his position as CEO. Tokuda, who helped launch the Redwood City-based developer in 2005, will continue to work with RockYou on "innovation and strategic initiatives", as well as exploring new areas for the firm to expand into, according to a report from TechCrunch. Though the company is searching for a permanent chief executive replacement, Tokuda's duties at RockYou are currently being fulfilled by CFO Steve Van Horne, Technology and Engineering SVP Shamik Sharma, and COO Lisa Marino. Tokuda made the company aware of his resignation around the time when RockYou laid off an unspecified but substantial amount of its staff working on non-game apps and social media last month, calling it "a whole shift in the DNA in the company" toward social games. As part of that shift, RockYou hired former Electronic Arts executive producer/vice president Jonathan Knight as its Games SVP, and Gazillion Entertainment interactive design manager Steve Cartwright as its Redwood office GM. With two game industry veterans added to management and its increased focus on gaming, Marino told TechCrunch that RockYou "is going to be very relevant in social games in around 70 days".