Game Informer
In August 1991, a six-page circular appeared inside FuncoLand retail locations. David R. Pomijie, the owner of that video game retailer, decided to launch a magazine as a better way to spend advertising dollars. Elizabeth Olson became the first editor-in-chief with Andy McNamara serving as her editorial assistant. The publication started life as an in-house newsletter before evolving into a full-fledged monthly periodical by November 1994. When GameStop acquired FuncoLand in 2000, they also purchased the magazine itself. This acquisition allowed for massive in-store promotion which contributed significantly to its success. Cathy Preston joined the production team in 2000 and later became publisher in 2001. Under her leadership, the publication became an integral part of GameStop's customer loyalty program known as Power Up Rewards.
Andy McNamara took over as sole editor-in-chief with the release of issue sixteen in 1993. He remained in that role through 2019 while overseeing major shifts in the industry. In late June 2020, McNamara announced he was leaving to become Global Director of Integrated Comms at Electronic Arts. Former senior editor Andrew Reiner took his place as editor-in-chief but departed in September 2022 to become a game developer. Matt Miller had worked at Game Informer since 2004 and was promoted to editor-in-chief following Reiner's exit. Kyle Hilliard returned to the staff in Fall 2022 after being previously laid off. Mary Lugones took over the publisher role from Cathy Preston in 2020 after Preston retired following twenty years of service. The transition marked a generational shift within the editorial ranks.
By 2010, Game Informer became the fifth largest magazine in the United States with five million copies sold. It surpassed popular publications like Time, Sports Illustrated, and Playboy during that year. By 2011, circulation figures topped eight million copies making it the third largest magazine in the US. Figures from 2017 placed the magazine at fourth place with over seven million copies sold. The financial success has been attributed to its good relationship with publishers and ties to GameStop. In November 2009, an Australian edition launched by Chris Stead and Citrus Media reached ten thousand subscribers by June 2010. That local version became Australia's biggest-selling video games publication by the 18th of August 2010 before closing down on the 18th of April 2019 due to cost-cutting measures.
In August 2019, about half of the current Game Informer staff were let go as part of a larger cut of more than 120 jobs by GameStop. Video editor Ben Hanson was among those laid off and eventually started his own podcast called MinnMax. Another set of layoffs occurred in March 2020 affecting non-editorial departments. Three more staff members including John Carson and Wesley LeBlanc were laid off in July 2022 after working there for over fourteen years. On the 2nd of August 2024, GameStop leadership abruptly shuttered the publication and laid off its entire staff. The publication's website was replaced with a static farewell page making old articles unreadable. The July 2024 issue marked the 368th and final issue of the magazine. Current and former staff bemoaned the sudden closure while Morgan Park of PC Gamer reported that the shutdown statement read like ChatGPT output.
On the 19th of March 2025, Game Informer shared a short video on social media channels featuring code resembling an arcade game at the bottom of the screen. The word Continue appeared within the code before the date March 25 flashed on screen suggesting a launch or announcement. Former director Brian Shea stated he could not comment but encouraged checking out social media posts from his former colleagues. Then on the 25th of March 2025, Gunzilla Games purchased Game Informer and hired back the staff that had been laid off at its initial shutdown. They relaunched the website and digital archive with new articles and reviews for games released during their initial shutdown period. In June 2025, they also restarted the publication of the print magazine as its own business separate from GameStop operations.
Game Informer used to give separate reviews of the same game for each console before publishing just one consolidated review starting in the mid-2000s. Staff members rate games on a scale of 1 to 10 with quarter-point intervals. A score between 6 and 7 is considered average while a perfect 10 remains rare and outstanding. Issue 295 noted that a score of 1 could be a joke reason like duplicates in lootboxes. Annually editors counted and judged the Top 50 Games of the previous year sorted by release date. The April edition includes an annual feature called Game Infarcer which serves as an April Fools Day prank. Four Sacred Cow Barbecues have been published since issue 158 in June 2006 to knock gaming icons off their pedestals. These controversial roasts often generate heated responses featured in later issues.
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Common questions
When did Game Informer first appear as a six-page circular inside FuncoLand retail locations?
Game Informer first appeared as a six-page circular in August 1991. David R. Pomijie, the owner of that video game retailer, decided to launch a magazine as a better way to spend advertising dollars.
Who became editor-in-chief of Game Informer after Andy McNamara left in late June 2020?
Former senior editor Andrew Reiner took over as editor-in-chief following Andy McNamara's departure in late June 2020. Matt Miller was promoted to editor-in-chief later when Reiner departed in September 2022.
What were the circulation figures for Game Informer by 2011 and how did it rank among US magazines?
By 2011, circulation figures for Game Informer topped eight million copies making it the third largest magazine in the US. The publication surpassed popular publications like Time, Sports Illustrated, and Playboy during that year.
On what date did GameStop leadership abruptly shutter the original Game Informer publication and lay off its entire staff?
On the 2nd of August 2024, GameStop leadership abruptly shuttered the publication and laid off its entire staff. The July 2024 issue marked the 368th and final issue of the magazine before the website was replaced with a static farewell page.
When did Gunzilla Games purchase Game Informer and restart the print magazine as a separate business from GameStop operations?
Gunzilla Games purchased Game Informer on the 25th of March 2025 and hired back the staff that had been laid off at its initial shutdown. In June 2025, they also restarted the publication of the print magazine as its own business separate from GameStop operations.