Game Informer's sudden closure leads to preservation efforts from multiple groups
Following the abrupt closure of Game Informer last week, fans and former employees of the long-running magazine are now attempting to archive its content after parent company Gamestop shut down its website and social media accounts.
The details:
On August 2, it was announced that Game Informer would close after 33 years, following layoffs at the publication in 2022. Over a dozen employees have lost their jobs as a result of the closure, but Gamestop has also removed all content from the magazine's website, rendering decades of reviews, interviews, features, and more inaccessible, with the site now consisting of a single landing page.
Following the news of the shutdown, a former employee took to X to say a "genuine goodbye," but the publication's account was quickly deleted. Game Informer staff noted that with the removal of the content, many had lost countless pieces of work that could have been used in portfolios to find new jobs, prompting criticism of Gamestop's approach to the situation.
Multiple groups are currently working to archive magazine content, such as physical media scans, articles, and more. MinnMax, founded by the publication's former video producer Ben Hanson, is the main force behind the preservation effort, even going so far as to share content that was never released to the public. Hanson told Game File that he filmed a documentary about Game Informer in 2019 and hopes to release it soon. He also released a tour of its office filmed in March 2024, which features former editors Dan Ryckert, Leo Vader, and Alex Van Aken.
More gaming news:
Fall Guys has made its way to Fortnite, with a new limited-time battle royale mode featuring its bean characters and an obstacle course in the sky.
Lifetime sales of the PS5 have surpassed 65 million, although sales of the system have continued to slow in the last quarter.
