It’s time to pour one out for Game Informer. After 33 years of being the industry’s most popular video game magazine and website, Game Informer is shutting down. Owned by Game Stop, one of the last brick-and-mortar video game retailers (barely) standing in a fast-moving world of digital and streaming entertainment, Game Informer is as much a part of some gamers’ history as Mario or Sonic the Hedgehog.
GameStop published a memo addressing the closure on Friday morning, titled “The Final Level: Farewell from Game Informer.”
“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,” the announcement said. “From the early days of pixelated adventures to today’s immersive virtual reality 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.”
Game Informer began publishing its magazine in 1991 under video game retailer FuncoLand (where I used to work outside the Smith Haven Mall in Long Island, New York). When Game Informer arrived on the scene, it filled a void left by Nintendo Power when the mushroom-powered magazine printed its final issue in December 2012. Many saw Game Informer and Nintendo Power as competitors. Still, both served a vital function in bringing gamers the reviews, previews, and interviews they craved about their favorite games. There used to be nothing better than getting a new issue of Game Informer in the mail and drooling over the magazine’s exclusive screenshots and preview art.
At the height of its popularity, Game Informer had 8 million copies circulating in the United States in 2011. Members of GameStop’s PowerUp Rewards membership program received the print magazine sent to their homes, giving gamers a reason to venture outdoors, at least to the mailbox. The final issue of Game Informer is the June 2024 issue featuring Dragon Age: The Veilguard as its cover story.
Dag, yo. Rest in peace, Game Informer. As someone who’s in the middle of playing multiple games right now (Diablo IV, Elden Ring, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Thank Goodness You’re Here, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, and more), I tip my hat to Game Informer for more than three decades of entertainment, information, and previews. We’ve had some good times.