Iconic Publication Game Informer Is Closing Down After 33 Years

It’s hard to make it in this digital world. Wish those impacted the best.

Gamestop's end is nigh. I subscribed up until the print version stopped being distributed. To me a site like NL or PS is a better source of information online.

Really don't think it's fair to say they're "closing down," when what's happening is their coporate overlords are basically pushing them out of jobs to save a few bucks.

It's not lost on me that these forced layoffs are coming after GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen was sued for $47 million over insider trading.

@JohnnyMind the word you're looking for is *****.

The end of an era. So many memories with this magazine and funcoland/gamestop membership discount cards.

I always had a feeling that Chewy guy was a POS. Lookie Lookie who's now being outed with insider trading reports... Scumbag. 😡

Damn that sucks. I remember finding a Sly Cooper Game Informer at a yard sale when I was 8-9, and was so excited since I loved Sly Cooper. Turning 30 now, time has flown.

I remember my dad having so many of these magazines around the house and I read them. I think the rise of digital media is one of the factors in why the magazine is going away forever, since it’s just more convenient and easy to search up gaming news and game reviews online with just a quick Google search, but I also think greedy leadership who want more money and don’t care about their workers is also another factor in why Game Informer is going away. It’s really sad to see physical media get phased out and replaced with digital media. It would feel so weird if everything was just digital and not a mix of physical and digital.

Are they refunding subscriptions?

Woah, I guess it’s not surprising in a way since lately their website really pushed the subscriptions. However, I had hoped they’d hang on a little longer. I wonder if their website will continue?

Edit: I tried their website after it timing out a few times and see that’s closing too. Too bad, I liked going there for news.

This sucks, but it’s not surprising. GameStop has treated Game Informer like crap for years. I’m sure that whatever GameStop suit wrote that announcement didn’t have a heavy heart in the slightest.

They survived longer than most. Way longer than I expected.
Print is dead. Long live print.

Edit: I have the GI site bookmarked for my non-nintendo gaming news. It appears to be down already.

Or maybe not...

Yup, it's done.

Dang, just reupped my gamestop membership ( serves me right haha) this is upsetting but long coming... Game informer was great at a time when the had exclusive content and it was new .. nowadays by the time i read a game informer its all old news because of the monsters on the Internet....no secrets can be kept no spoilers can be left unspoiled and we need every bit of any gaming news to suck off of to live as per many of these game sites scour the Internet for any information about anything at all .. rest in peace game informer

They're only counting from August 1993, but Game Informer actually began as a Funco newsletter in 1991, I had one of the very first issues of that newsletter, before it, along with most of my Nintendo Power back issues, were destroyed in a basement flood at my home in 1999.

Sonic the Hedgehog was on the cover.

Used to enjoy getting these in the mail. I dropped off due an overflow of ads and frequently incorrect information (one issue said the Wii U used friend codes) a decade ago.
That marked the end of my physical magazine days, when I could look forward to Nintendo Power, Game Informer, and Play Magazine every month or so.
Oh well.

I just got a subscription for a friend a month ago. He just got his first issue.

I've got a feeling we're gonna have to fight to get our money back. Should have been automatically done.

I can’t wait until GameStop goes out of business, the amount of money I feel like they have ripped me off over the decades. The last thing I bought at GameStop was my switch. Luckily I am not stuck in the physical past so I have no use for their crappy business tactics.

Shame. I was just thinking about how I wish gaming magazines, or even just magazines in general, were still a thing. That said I recognize the irony of saying that on what is essentially an online magazine that's free, releases new articles every day, and doesn't need to be printed and mailed.

As nice as magazines are, there just isn't really a place for them any more, at least in gaming. Even if news hits the day the print happens, it'll be old news before it makes it to your subscriber's mailbox.

EGM was better. GI always felt more 'shilly' to me. Still, the end of an era.

Name recognition for Game Informer extends further for me than GameStop even. I had no idea they owned the publication.

I'm shocked they lasted this long, given that ownership.

My local GameStop closed with no notice last week. One day it was there the next its gone. I'm curious if they're doing a mass wave of store closures?

Speaking of news, someone better start scrapping the entire website for archival, because there's probably lots of stuff that Game Informer probably has as exclusive details on games.

This really makes me sad. As a 40-something gamer, it has been nice to still have a physical game magazine of quality. Something about that tactile feeling of the magazine itself and the color images..

I've worked for companies that handle layoffs like this, and it is terrible. These are real people that have had their lives upended due to bad management. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but it just disgusts me.

I hope all of the staff land back on their feet soon.

I stopped reading and following GI quite a long time ago but still, end of yet another magazine era. I hope for the best for those laid off.

Such a shame, loved Game Informer when i was younger. I was a magazine subscriber for many years.

I wonder if the podcast will keep going in some form. Brian Shea did take it independent a few months back, and I usually listened weekly on my commute home or over the weekend.

I hope everyone affected can find new work with minimal disruption.

EDIT: All Things Nintendo Podcast was on Spotify when I was leaving for work. Brian recorded on Thursday, but included an intro recorded today touching on the closure. Truly heartbreaking. He will continue doing the podcast since he did make it independent from Game Informer just a few months ago.

(note: the creator of this message did not read this article beyond its title and subtitle due to the subtitle itself (upon finding it (the sub-title) vulgar and unnecessary))

Before they took the website off-line, I was able to get into it this morning and saw that a digital version of Issue 368 had been posted. The email sent to subscribers said that the last issue was in the mail. Since I received 367 a few weeks ago, it is possible that there is one more in the post. (The email also said where to write about pro-rated refunds. I sent that email several hours ago and am awaiting a response.)

This saddens me. I grew up with reading their magazines. Guess I'll add having a complete gaminfomer collection to my bucket list.

i remember the days of always reading my video game mags in the 1990's electronic gaming monthly game pro game informer video games computer entertainment sigh...

Sad news. Definitely not my favorite magazine, but a staple in the industry.

My heart will always go out to the workers hurt by corporate downsizing. There are always talented staff members in art teams, editors, and writers who are hurt by these actions from disconnected c suite types…

… also I do not lament the end of this publication. IGN gets so much vitriol (and it’s not all unwarranted) for being chummy with publishers, but they are nothing compared to the editorial board at Gameinformer. That magazine was the corporate mouth piece of the largest games store in the US, and I don’t know that I have ever been able to take their views seriously.

Hm, oh gee I wonder, maybe those NFT scams weren't worth it after all hm? Nah... I'm sure if you replace yet another section of your stores with Funko Pops, you'll make up the lost revenue though.

Honestly, I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner.

So what about all the new and renewed subscriptions that they just sold?

@Mario500
What is vulgar?

I was just about to sign up too. No joke. I've missed getting a gaming mag in the mail. I will see if I can go snag the last issue from GameStop this weekend.

It's sad to hear this. After EGM and Nintendo Power, GI was my favorite magazine. And was the only gaming magazine I knew still going. Like others here, I recently subscribed and liked getting them in the mail each month, like I did in the 80's and 90's. Are there other print gaming magazines still around, at least in the US?

oh my god no! i loved game informer one of the trustiest sources of news these days, really really REALLY sad about it. Im glad Brian Shea made All Things Nintendo (an amazing, amazing, lovely podcast, one of the best in gaming imo) independent before this horrible incident

Their writers deserve so, so much better <3

So Long Game Informer.

I'm frankly surpised it lasted as long as it did. Either way, pretty sad to see the last major gaming magazine publication end. Even if I haven't read one of them in like 10 years.

I remember collecting these magazines as a kid and reading them on the weekends. Fun times. Simpler times.

Man, it was the last remaining print magazine in the us for games. Im still a subscriber, or apparently was.

This is tragic news, always tried to support them.

@sc100 Not that I know of. They were the last. Ive been a subscriber as i have a fond nostolgia for physical magazines. Its now finally gone.

@k8sMum It was like $20 a year, not something really worth fighting for.

There’s still at least one print magazine Nintendo Force they’re on Patreon I’ve been a subscriber for years

Scummy of the board members to do this so suddenly. Hope Gamestop is next, and the Pokemon events being forever tied to Gamestop stores can finally end.

Truly a sad development.
I have a small stack of Game Informers from when I was getting it for free with my GameStop pro membership, till they took that perk away (and also made my years’ worth of points perishable).

Not long ago GameStop advertised a years’ subscription to the mag for crazy cheap, like $1.50 an issue, but I was still peeved because it used to be free! So I procrastinated. What a bummer!

What I read of GI was informative and interesting enough, and I’ll miss it. It’s sad to see another victim of the digital age.

I have a brother who was a subscriber. I skimmed through those magazines a few times. I thought the E3 2017 recap issue had the most interesting cover art.

@Olliemar28 @Olliemar28 Yes that is correct. I received an email
telling me to reach out to request a refund.

GI was hand in hand with Funcoland and GameStop back in the earliest days for me (when GameStop was awesome). Haven't liked them as if late so I haven't checked out GI in eons. Andy, Reiner... all those original guys. I miss those days.

How has it been 33 years if it started in 1993?

Did I misunderstand that sentence somehow?

Shouldn't it be 31?

Man this sucks to hear. I’m glad I still kept the print copies over the years, there’s something novel about flipping through a few old magazines and seeing what was popular or coming out at the time. G.I. Was such a good source of info growing up too, quite a few games I got because of their reviews and positive feedback for it (and plenty of games I stayed away from because of their reviews as well). It’s a shame GameStop gave it the axe so quickly though despite their legacy and years of publication. R.I.P. GameInformer, you will be sorely missed.

Brian Shea's All Things Nintendo podcast is, in my opinion, the absolute best Nintendo podcast out there. I'm glad to hear he is continuing that and looking forward to supporting his efforts.

My older brother was still reading physical Game Informer magazines. It's a shame to see another gaming magazine bite the dust.

say wat you will about those gamestop ceos but i still prefer getting my games from gamestop plus the one i go too treats me well and are nice.

@Spider-Kev They're objecting to "Damn". Utterly absurd but they have form for attempting to police how articles on the site are written.

Was just about to subscribe to the digital edition (they don't ship to the UK). Issue 368 is available to download it seems.

Almost all the magazines gone now. Used to absolutely love getting magazines. Probably as much as getting the games themselves. Over here in the UK, I believe there is now Edge magazine, PC Gamer and Play (and Retro gamer). A far cry from the golden days in the late 90s.

It still amazes me that my local WHSmith can stock 7 or 8 caravan magazines but it's gaming magazines that are dying.

At least Switch Player has started up again from Ninty Media.

@Ulysses yes, after reading up on it, it seems as though this has happened overnight. Website existed yesterday, and today it doesn't, and the magazine is no more. No farewell issue, even. Shocking behaviour from the money men but exactly what you'd expect.

@Runex2121
Yet if everyone thinks that way they make a fortune on a product they decided to not deliver.

Imho, it's the principle as well as the money.

Nothing beats a physical copy of anything…I will miss the sound of the magazine cracking open…the artwork on the covers….and the fresh smell of a new issue……just like new console smell it’s something you can’t forget……

Man. I reached out to Game Informer this year looking for work, but I guess I'm glad it didn't work out now that I know what happened. My heart goes out to the staff.

This really is a shame because Game Informer and Nintendo Life are the only gaming new sites I can tolerate. IGN and Gamespot and Polygon have become far to Hollywoodified, and Kotaku… Well, they do interesting stories now and then, but a lot of their writers are pretty vulgar and I don't love how often political rants end up in the middle of their gaming articles.

Sad news, I loved getting these in the mail and reading them at the dinner table.