Game Informerthe longest running gaming magazine in the US, is officially dead and GameStop killed it. It started publishing in 1991 and was one of the last remaining physical gaming magazines in the world, with cover stories that continued to feature deep dives and exclusive interviews on the biggest games coming out, from Final Fantasy: VII Rebirth To Star Wars Outlaws. No longer.
Staff at the magazine, which also publishes a website, a weekly podcast and online video documentaries about game studios and developers, were summoned to a meeting with parent company GameStop’s human resources director on Friday, where they were told the publication would cease immediately, they would all be laid off and receive severance pay. At least one employee was in the middle of a business trip when the team was informed.
The sudden closure of Game Informer means that issue no. 367, the Dragon Age: The Veilguard cover story, will be her last. The entire website has also been taken offline. The Game Informer Twitter account has published the following statement online today, but sources say My city it was not written by anyone from the team who were still working to ensure that all employees were informed of the news:
After 33 exciting years of bringing you the latest news, reviews, and insights into the ever-evolving world of gaming, it is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of Game Informer.
From the early days of pixel adventures to the immersive virtual worlds of today, it has been an honor to share this incredible journey with you, our loyal readers. Even though our printing presses are at a standstill, the passion for games we have created together will live on.
Thank you for being part of our epic quest. May your own gaming adventures never end.
“A frustrating turn of events (especially considering we were about 70% done with the next issue and it was supposed to have a GREAT cover)”, tweeted Game Informer Kyle Hilliard, the magazine’s content director, after the news broke. “I am angry about the end of Game Informer”, tweeted former video producer Ben Hanson. “It’s been an incredible 33 years and then GameStop comes out with this fake/empty farewell message. I bet it was written by an AI. Fuck you GameStop, and a huge fuck you to Ryan Cohen.”
Each URL for the Game Informer The website now redirects to the official statement, deleting more than a decade of articles, reviews and original reporting that helped establish a record in the notoriously secretive and fickle video game industry. A recent in-depth post on the history and preservation of retro game studio Digital Eclipse is one of the stories that is no longer accessible. An article on Game Informer‘s famous game vault, which contains releases from its decades-long history, is also inaccessible.
More than just a magazine
In its heyday Game Informer was the leading monthly magazine in a group of publications that also included GamePro, Electronic gaming monthlyand several others, as well as platform-centric journals such as Nintendo Power. The Minneapolis-based print publication has since been the only remaining major publication in the U.S., known for its monthly reviews, editor’s columns, and comprehensive previews of upcoming games, as well as access to big names for interviews that few others in the industry could offer.
Game Informer was bought by GameStop along with its previous owner, gaming retail competitor FuncoLand, in 2000. This essentially gave the publication its own magazine kiosk in thousands of stores, with GameStop customers receiving a year’s subscription as one of the perks when they signed up for the store’s rewards program. In the days before online gaming blogs and YouTube channels were ubiquitous, flipping through the pages of Game Informer was the primary way for many gamers to get to know the world of gaming, beyond what they and their friends owned.
In recent years, however, as GameStop entered a downward spiral following the collapse of physical game sales, the giant corporation became an albatross in the Game Informers neck, burdening it with clueless middle managers and conflicting and constantly changing instructions. Despite the explosion of meme stocks that have made the company billions, GameStop has continued to cut jobs across the company. including almost annual waves of layoffs at Game Informer.
Long-time editor-in-chief Andy McNamara leaves the company to join Electronic Arts in 2020followed by departures of other senior staff amid the ongoing crisis. “As someone who was there on the first issue and has spent most of his life fighting, scratching and clawing for GI, it breaks my heart to see it come to an end,” he said wrote today. “GI will always have a special place in my heart. As always, it’s the people that count. What an incredible journey for all of us. GI4ever.”
After dropping physical problems Game Informer A few months ago, GameStop finally lifted its rewards program and allowed the publisher to sell its products directly to subscribers. It seemed like a new, more independent beginning, or at least a prelude to spinning off or selling the decades-old traditional distribution business.
Game InformerGameStop’s closure comes as GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen moves on Shit posting about the 2024 elections. In an email to staff last year, the executive called for “extreme austerity” and criticized “Money waster”, who has contributed neither to the company nor to its success. He is currently being sued by the former company behind Bed, Bath and Beyond for $47 million in insider trading profits.
Update 08/02/2024, 12:08 PM ET: Added reactions from some current employees.
Update 08/02/2024, 12:08 PM ET: Added information about website outage and refunds.
