The Disappearing Act of Video Game Journalists: Now You See Them, Now You Don’t!
In a plot twist that rivals the most shocking video game endings, over 1,200 video game journalists have fled the industry like it was a haunted house, and they haven’t looked back. Sources say they’ve vanished into thin air, but they probably just realized that real life has fewer pixels and more bills.
Data from a nifty PR tool reveals that in the past year alone, more than 600 journalists who used to regale the world with tales from the pixelated battlegrounds have vanished from their database. Was there a mass exodus to the realms of knitting blogs or underwater basket weaving? Not quite. The earlier year saw a matching number of journalists making a similar exit. It’s starting to look like a game of musical chairs, but they didn’t bother to stick around for the last round.
At the Top of Their Game, Now Playing Hide-and-Seek
According to the esteemed folks behind the same data tool, the pool of journalists swimming in the vast ocean of game coverage has shrunk by a whopping 25% over the last two years. Most of these disappearances were from the well-known bastions of gaming journalism like IGN and Polygon, which raises the question: are they all hanging out together—possibly due to collective burnout or casting spells for an ‘undo’ button?
When including amateur and part-time scribes, the number skyrockets to over 4,000 since the dizzying heights of October 2023. Clearly, the lure of writing about video games has diminished faster than a character’s health bar in a poorly timed boss battle.
The COVID Chaos and Its Aftermath
It seems the gaming media industry has been hit with a nasty combo: the turbulence of a changing market, major layoffs, and the ever-predictable whims of the pandemic. Giant media players like IGN and Fandom have been showing their management skills by shedding jobs like a cat sheds fur, leaving the industry returning to a more ‘purr-plexing’ state of affairs.
Speaking candidly, a co-founder of the tool that unearthed this gem of information mused that job losses are largely owing to major shifts in focus towards only the biggest gaming behemoths. With all the competition heating up, the remaining journalists have to fight tooth and nail—or perhaps thumb-to-thumb—just to stay relevant. And let’s not forget about Google’s search engine updates; apparently, they’re not just for improving the search experience, but for decimating the careers of those poor souls who dare to write about games.
What’s Next? The Crystal Ball Predicts… More Shrinking
A longtime purveyor of gaming journalism has something to say about all this: the past troubles are largely pinned on good ol’ Google but also reflect changing reader habits. Readers now seem to prefer quick fixes through AI summaries rather than indulging in the full course meal of a well-researched article. What a time to be alive!
With a looming forecast suggesting continued shrinkage in the next year, it appears this industry may just be in a never-ending cycle of aftershocks resembling a video game loop of doom. Trying to sustain quality journalism amidst all this chaos? Spoiler alert: it’s going to take more than a magical potion.
The Call for Support
A sentiment shared by many is that dedicated reader support is not just a nice-to-have, but a must-have. Apparently, standing back and watching talented writers get washed away by poor managerial strategies isn’t exactly a sustainable approach for the gaming realm. The best form of protection for these media outlets? A hearty community of readers who refuse to let them go under.
So, folks, if there are favorites out there, now might be the time to hand over some tokens of appreciation. Because without loyal fans, that gaming advice or upcoming review could soon vanish like a digital ghost. Remember, even the best plans need a solid foundation of support to survive the storms ahead!
