Over the vacation season, we’re republishing among the greatest articles from Nintendo Life writers and contributors from 2025. This text was initially printed in Could.
We should always observe that the Large Bomb story had a cheerful ending, with the employees shopping for GB from Fandom and going unbiased. Sure! However, in one other turbulent yr for the video games trade and the media overlaying it, it is extra necessary than ever to help the work you’re keen on…
Effectively, we have come to the top of every week that is seen the top of two gaming establishments as we have identified them for a few years.
The departure of Dan Ryckert and Jeff Grubb from Large Bomb on Thursday was swiftly adopted by information of layoffs at Polygon following the location’s sale to Valnet (proprietor of Display screen Rant). Seeing these top-tier creators and video games journalists unceremoniously solid apart has been a shock for anyone who’s adopted and loved their work over time.
Besides it hasn’t actually, has it? The layoffs in video games and video games media have change into so commonplace that it would not come as a shock anymore to see gaming establishments crumble round us – it is simply one other week within the trade.
We’re a month away from a brand new Nintendo console launch — one thing we have been ready for for thus lengthy — and but lots of the critic voices followers are most eager to listen to have been de-platformed this week in circumstances that go away us, if not shocked, then completely depressed and dumbfounded by the selections taken by administration at Fandom and Valnet.
Whether or not you have been an avid Large Bomb fan because the unique Gerstmann/Davis days, jumped on board within the mid-2010s, or are a more moderen convert, the Large Bombcast (and Beastcast for a very good spell there) has been a fixture of many a gamer’s week since beginning in 2008, even should you by no means watched a single GB video. The podcast’s radio-style heat and informed-but-informal tone set the template for a lot of a gaming podcast within the following years, and epic, multi-hour Sport of the 12 months episodes turned yearly traditions for listeners to sit up for and savour.
Vinny, Brad, Alex, and Jeff‘s respective departures throughout 2021/22 may need felt just like the final straws, however Fandom flattening episode #888 feels just like the definitive finish of an period.
Then there’s Valnet’s acquisition of Polygon and the next layoffs. It seems like a tentpole of contemporary video games media falling. For over 12 years, the location’s writers have persistently put out among the greatest articles within the area, so the expertise being thrown away with this spherical of layoffs is confounding. Firing your most skilled staffers mere weeks earlier than an necessary console launch suggests one thing about the usual of protection these corporations are fascinated with offering their viewers, you would possibly suppose.
Should you’re a fan of these voices (from Large Bomb or Polygon, or any of the writers and creators who’ve suffered layoffs in current occasions), keep in mind that the overwhelming majority are on-line, searchable, and — crucially — supportable. They might not be on the platform you have beforehand discovered them on for years, however they’re nearly definitely on the market doing nice work.
Should you love that work and also you’re ready to subscribe to their Patreon, fling them a number of quid over Ko-Fi, or enroll as a supporter, please achieve this. Assuming that these websites and streams will simply survive and their creators can merely leap ship to the same gig when the iceberg looms is wishful considering.
Prepared however not within the monetary place to ship your hard-earned money to a bunch of writers and podcasters and streamers? Hey, as anybody working in video games media will inform you, it is robust on the market – and there isn’t any scarcity of excellent causes in want of help as of late. Bear in mind, although, that simply downloading and listening to podcasts on the free feeds, watching streams, and turning off adblockers on websites (like this one, for example!) makes a giant distinction.
Our hearts exit to everybody at GB and Polygon affected this week. Should you’ve ever loved their work — or should you’ve by no means heard of them and also you’re questioning what all of the fuss is about — search them out and, should you’re ready, help them of their different endeavours, outdated and new.
And keep in mind to be liberal with reward and help of the websites you’re keen on, and their creators.
