Zynga has always felt like a tool for Pincus' rise to A-list.  Great for him and his pocket book, not so great for his employees.

Despite the successes, though, Pincus still felt like he had not yet "arrived" in Silicon Valley. "There's an A-list here, and then there's everyone else," he told The New York Times Magazine in 2005. "And I'm not A-list."

Almost instantly, Pincus solidified his status as one of Silicon Valley's elite, über-rich A-listers. Zynga's eventual IPO made Pincus a billionaire based on the company's valuation.

It will be fascinating to see how his karma unfolds.

My guess is that he will retire from Zynga soon and then resurface as a venture capitalist.