After 33 years of bringing video game publishing news to the mainstream, Game Informer has sadly announced their closure today.
The video game industry has been facing serious issues over the past few years, with companies making mass mergers and conducting mass layoffs. Even positive announcements come from studios looking to make a splash with their next hit title. Whether bad or good, Game Informer has always been a pillar of information, ready to expose details surrounding all of the gaming universe’s latest offerings.
After 33 years of gaming publishing, Game Informer has announced its closure. The announcement was made on the publication’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, which can be seen below.
The sign-off reads, “Thank you for being part of our epic quest, and may your own gaming adventures never end.” Online Content Director Brian Shea was taken off guard by the announcement, posting his own message: “I love you all so much. Thank you for reading our work over the last 33 years. I didn’t know this would be my Friday when I woke up this morning. My heart is broken.”
Other gaming industry veterans have also gathered on the X platform to express condolences for the publication, including former Editor-in-Chief Andy McNamara. He wrote “As someone who was there at issue one and spent most of their life fighting and scratching and clawing for GI, it breaks my heart to see it end. GI will always hold a special place in my heart. As always, the people are who matter. What an amazing journey for us all. GI4ever” on his own X account, lamenting the publication’s closure.
UPDATE Aug 5: Game Informer’s Website & X Accounts Have Been Scrubbed
Previously this article was written after the surprising news that Game Informer was shuttered, and the website remained intact as well as the X account for the publication. But it appears that is no longer the case, heading to the former GI domain leads straight to the announcement, and no former publications from the site can be seen. Below is the official X page of Game Informer as it stands.
Former Game Informer Online Content Director Brian Shea has taken to the internet, not to bash the decision to shutter the magazine, but instead uplift former colleagues to support the overwhelming job loss. On his official LinkedIn page, Shea writes “If you need experienced editors, graphic designers, programmers, or marketing specialists, please reach out. We had an incredible, experienced staff that deserve to be treated like the outstanding assets that they are. I will wholeheartedly recommend any of them.”
What’s worse, is many of the publication’s writers have lost months/years of work published on the site. Business Consultant Michael Futter took to his personal LinkedIn to share what happened to the publication in a long-winded post. He says “Game Informer was unceremoniously and, frankly, brutally shuttered at the end of last week. The website was fully redirected, and both current and past staff have no way to access their work,” continuing with an explanation of what happened to the official X account.
Futter explained that after a former GI employee issued a “REAL goodbye from the team” the X account abruptly ceased to exist. After 33 long years of bringing gaming news and information to the masses, it appears any evidence of their publishing has been washed from the internet. Parent company GameStop has not issued an official statement at the time of this posting.
