GameStop shuts down Game Informer, lays off all magazine staff

Today was not a good day in video game journalism, as GameStop has shut down Game Informer and laid off all magazine staff.

Via social media, Game Informer expressed its gratitude to its followers for the magazine’s 33 years of support.

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.

GI, originally owned by retailer FuncoLand, made its debut in August 1991 as a six-page magazine published bimonthly and became a monthly magazine in November 1994.

The first iteration of Game Informer Online began in August 1996 with daily news and articles but was shut down after GameStop purchased Funcoland and GI in January 2001. The Game Informer website was brought back in September 2003.

Game Informer was one of the most popular magazines in the US. From 2010 to 2014, GI was selling between 5 million to 8 million copies per year. Even in 2017, GI sold 7 million copies.

GI saw its first round of layoffs in August 2019 with half of the GI staff. In 2022, three staff members were let go.

Today’s announcement cause changes at the GI website. With the abrupt announcement, the typical home page changed to a single one goodbye page.

The announcement surprised everyone.

According to Kotaku, staff attended a meeting with GameStop VP of HR who informed them about the unexpected closure of GI.

The July 2024 issue, number 367, was the last publication of Game Informer.

People affected by the layoffs and closure of Game Informer may want to visit Amir Satvat’s game community page on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirsatvat] and its own website [https://amirsatvat.com/].

Thank you for everything, Game Informer.

[Sources]: GameInformer.com: Home Page (Farewell Page) – [Archive] – [Screenshot]. GameInformer.com: Home Page (Before Closure) – [Archive] – [Screenshot]. Kotaku: GameStop Shuts Down Game Informer, The Longest-Running Gaming Magazine In The US [Update] – [Archive] – [Screenshot].