The games media niche is shrinking yet again, as IGN Entertainment subsidiary Gamer Network undergoes a new round of job cuts. The Gamer Network family, established in the late 1990s, comprises popular outlets like Eurogamer, Rock Paper Shotgun, VG247, Outside Xbox, GI.biz, and more. According to VGC, Eurogamer’s “most experienced editors” and its full video team will face redundancies, though “at least one position will be transferred to IGN.” Positions at Gamer Network’s Outside Xbox channel will reportedly also see cuts.
Gamer Network was acquired by IGN in 2024, and according to VGC, the brand has since “faced editorial upheaval” through “layoffs, redeployments, and divestitures.” The sale itself, which reportedly closed for an undisclosed amount, ended with layoffs, voluntary employee redundancies, and site closures, including that of tabletop gaming site Dicebreaker.
The video game industry has undergone significant job losses in recent years, and the global COVID-19 pandemic is commonly cited as a catalyst. Beyond IGN’s Gamer Network, other media titans such as Valnet and Fandom have also cut positions. With Press Engine’s global game journalist pool down 25 percent since late October 2025, something’s gotta give.
Games media grapples with widespread layoffs
After years of shuffling, restructuring, and general uncertainty, some industry journalists are opting out entirely. Others are going fully independent by building their own organizations or joining other blossoming employee-owned outlets. For industry voice Aidan Moher, co-host of the FunFactor Podcast, there’s no time like the present to platform worker-owned media.
To draw attention to smaller outlets, Moher used Bluesky’s “Starter Pack” feature to curate a living list of independent games media websites and podcasts, as well as solo streamers, YouTube essayists, and other content creators. Moher’s “Independent Games Media” Starter Pack allows Bluesky users to follow all listed accounts with a single click. Moher first shared the list on May 1, 2025, following yet another round of industry layoffs. “In response to the Polygon and Giant Bomb news, I created an indie and worker-owned games media starter pack. I’ll keep adding to it, so suggestions and recommendations are greatly appreciated. Please share!”
Moher’s “games journos” list of industry journalists also continues to grow amid rising job redundancies, company closures, game cancellations, and an overarching anti-worker/pro-AI sentiment from brand leaders. Unsurprisingly, social media shares for both lists rise alongside new industry headlines. Today’s cuts are no exception. “With news of more games media layoffs, this seems like a good time to share my Indie Games Media starter kit — it’s more important than ever that readers directly support their favourite publications and writers,” says Moher.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
