It is with a very heavy heart that we report the end of an era in video games and journalism. Game Informer, one of the longest running print publications dedicated to gaming, has shut down, effective immediately. If you go to their website, instead of the landing page you’d normally see, everything is reduced to a farewell message that announces the magazine’s closure along with the image below.
Fans of Game Informer (like this article’s writer) are probably both shocked and not surprised by this in some ways. Over the last few years Game Informer’s parent company, GameStop has not been in the best financial situation. Much of the magazine’s staff had been gutted several years ago and while the team was still putting out content, physically and digitally, it wasn’t the same as it was a decade ago. In recent months the site had been pushing ads asking for people to subscribe to the magazine instead of just checking out the website, something that was a portent for where things are now.
What is surprising is how sudden it happened. There was no “final issue” in the sense of establishing that this was it. The next issue was supposed to have a cover feature for the upcoming game, “The Casting of Frank Stone,” and even then there was no notification that it was going to be the swan song for the magazine. With all the force of brutal immediacy, it’s over. We previously talked about how Paramount had wiped content from a number of its websites, and is that going to be the case now for the archive of articles, videos, interviews, and stories for Game Informer? Obviously the print copies will float around for collectors, but GI also had a lot of web exclusive content. Much of it can be found on YouTube, but it would be a shame to see so much lost if the website shuts down too.
One of the things that made Game Informer unique is that for a magazine that ran so long, it had the same leadership for much of that time. Andy McNamara served as the editor-in-chief from the inception in 1991 until 2020 when he was replaced by fellow longtime writer and editor, Andrew Reiner. Reiner would leave in 2022 to be replaced by Matt Miller. The gaming industry and the nature of news reporting had changed tremendously since the magazine started but to see it end so abruptly feels like a complete disservice to the remaining staff and the legacy of the publication.
The author would be remiss not to mention the OverBlood fan community that started thanks to the Super Replay feature that started on Game Informer’s website. Some of the editors recorded a playthrough of one of the most ridiculous survival horror games of all time, “OverBlood.” The personalities of the editors made it such a memorable experience that a gave the game a bit of a bump in notoriety while also reinforcing the fan community in a big way.
We extent our hearts, our thoughts, our tears, and love to the staff. For those immediately affected by this layoff, we hope that better things are in store for you. And to all the previous staff members who are watching a piece of their lives come to a close, thank you for your work that impacted the lives of so many. We grew up with your writing and reporting and it shaped the way we look at games today. Thank you.
You can read the full statement below:
The Final Level: Farewell
from Game Informer
After 33 thrilling years of bringing you the latest news, reviews, and insights from 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 pixelated adventures to today’s immersive virtual realms, we’ve been honored to share this incredible journey with you, our loyal readers. While our presses may stop, the passion for gaming that we’ve cultivated together will continue to live on.
Thank you for being part of our epic quest, and may your own gaming adventures never end.
