Mixed reactions to Gunzilla Games’ reboot of Game Informer

Sunset in August 2024 by its original owner GameStop, cult gaming magazine Game Informer has now been revived through an acquisition by German web3 game developer Gunzilla Games.

Returning under new entity Game Informer Inc., this will also see the entire team “from editorial to production and beyond” come back. 

Gunzilla highlights that the publication will remain fully independent in its news, reviews, and insights, but the announcement has sparked a variety of reactions. 

Of course the team itself is excited and relieved to return, and some fans have expressed their enthusiasm, but in the wider industry there’s also been skepticism. 

The big question mark is why a web3 game developer such as Gunzilla would buy Game Informer if it’s not for its own purposes, in this case to be used as a marketing tool for Off The Grid and its forthcoming TGE?

Gunzilla Games co-founder and CEO Vlad Korolov explained that the deeper intention is to join the “fight to preserve the heart of video game journalism in what has been a tumultuous time for the industry.”

In case Game Informer does remain editorially independent, this raises the question whether it’s wise use of Gunzilla’s resources?

For instance, in a conversation on X, Saakuru Labs co-founder and CEO Jack Vinijtrongjit commented, “With already high burn rate for Gunzilla, this might turn out to be a bad move if they can’t get it to at least break, even considering they were not making money to keep the operation going.”