Gamer Network
Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British digital media company based in Brighton. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and other video game businesses. Its flagship website, Eurogamer, was launched alongside the company. It began hosting the video game trade show EGX in 2008. ReedPop acquired Gamer Network in 2018 and sold it to IGN Entertainment in 2024.
Not to be confused with Game Network.Formerly
Eurogamer Network Limited (1999–2013)
1999
- Rupert Loman
- Nick Loman
Simon Maxwell (MD)
- ReedPop (2018–2024)
- IGN Entertainment (2024–present)
History[edit]
Gamer Network was founded under the name Eurogamer Network in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman.[1] It was formed alongside the opening of its flagship website, Eurogamer, which itself launched on 4 September 1999.[1][2] Nick Loman left the business in 2004 to pursue a career in medicine and "competitive BBQ".[3]
In February 2011, Eurogamer Network acquired American publishing house Hammersuit, alongside its IndustryGamers.com and Modojo.com websites.[4] On 1 March 2013, in line with the international expansion, Eurogamer Network announced that it had changed its name to Gamer Network.[5] As part of the rebranding, Eurogamer Events was renamed Gamer Events, while Hammersuit also adopted the Gamer Network name.[5] In October, Simon Maxwell was promoted from group publishing director to chief operating officer.[6]
On 26 February 2018, it was announced that ReedPop, the division of Reed Exhibitions that organises pop culture conventions such as PAX, had acquired Gamer Network.[1] While Rupert Loman remained Gamer Network's chief executive officer, Maxwell became the company's managing director and a vice-president for ReedPop's UK operations.[1][7] Loman left the company in February 2020.[8] ReedPop implemented a number of layoffs across many of the Gamer Network sites in September 2020. In November 2020, the remaining USgamer staff, which had been reduced from nine to four after the earlier layoffs, reported that ReedPop was shuttering the site by the end of the year.[9]
In November 2023, ReedPop announced its intent to sell Gamer Network with its editorial brands, though excluding its events business.[10] IGN Entertainment was announced as the buyer in May 2024, and it immediately implemented layoffs of some editorial staff at GamesIndustry.biz and Rock Paper Shotgun.[11] Following the takeover, Dicebreaker cancelled their Tabletop Creators Summit at MCM Comic Con.[12][13] In an overview on the state of tabletop gaming journalism, Chase Carter of Rascal News highlighted that "the other professional website that fostered amateur talent, Dicebreaker, seems to be poised on the edge of collapse".[14] Carter, who formerly freelanced for Dicebreaker, commented that nothing has been published since the May 21 sale of the Gamer Network and the outlet's "ultimate fate remains unknown at time of writing" in June 2024.[14] Later that month, the Dicebreaker staff reported that they were made redundant.[15][16]