With another turn of the knife, another giant in the gaming industry falls. GameStop has decided to shut down Game Informer, reportedly laying off the publication’s entire staff and announcing the beginning of their severances. The industry has suffered one layoff, closure, and cancellation after another in recent years, and Game Informer‘s closure feels both predictable and shocking. In its recent announcement on the subject, Game Informer didn’t explain the cause behind the falling of the axe. Here’s what we know, and what we might be able to make of the messy picture.
The End of Game Informer
In an X post, the company thanked players for being part of the “epic quest” that was Game Informer. The question that looms, of course, is why did the quest for gaming greatness end? GameStop CEO and chairman Ryan Cohen has reportedly spoken about the need for “extreme frugality” in the past, so it’s conceivable that Game Informer wasn’t bringing in enough profit to warrant its survival in the eyes of its parent company. In an era when many companies will pinch any penny and cut any throat necessary to maximize profits, it’s hideous but expected.
Losing a job is a traumatizing event, whether or not you have the financial means to see yourself and your loved ones through. To my fellow members of the gaming press and everyone who helped make Game Informer the industry icon that it was and is, please take care of yourselves and one another. Talk to someone. Have some kindness for yourself when the world will not. Like countless other gamers, I have shelves full of old copies of Game Informer, and each weathered spine is a testament to the hard work and artistry that went into every issue.
