It’s a grim start to the year for games journalism, and the writing is on the wall—literally. Just days into 2026, both Inverse and The Verge have slashed their gaming sections, leaving writers jobless and the industry reeling. But here’s where it gets even more unsettling: this isn’t just about budget cuts; it’s a symptom of a deeper issue in media—owners seemingly clueless about how to handle gaming content.
At Inverse, part of Bustle Digital Group (BDG), the gaming section has been shuttered entirely. According to a former writer, three journalists and the site’s gaming editor, Shannon Liao, were let go. Liao confirmed the news on Bluesky, echoing the sentiment that the company is ‘divesting’ from gaming content. This isn’t the first time BDG has made such moves; since acquiring Inverse in 2019, the company has been on a layoff spree, with cuts in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. Even Gawker, briefly revived by BDG in 2021, was shut down in 2023. And this is the part most people miss: despite management claims of rebounding numbers, Inverse’s unique voice within BDG’s portfolio seemed to confuse leadership, leaving the team feeling like the ‘black sheep’ of the company.
Meanwhile, over at Vox-owned The Verge, gaming writer Ash Parrish announced her layoff on social media. This comes after Vox sold its gaming site Polygon to Valnet last May and implemented multiple rounds of layoffs in 2024 and 2025. Is this the beginning of the end for gaming coverage in mainstream media? Or is it a sign of the industry’s inability to adapt to the evolving landscape of gaming journalism?
What’s truly heartbreaking is the human cost of these decisions. Writers like Liao and Parrish, who’ve dedicated their careers to covering games, are left in the lurch. And with the year barely begun, it feels like a harbinger of another tough year for journalism. But here’s a thought-provoking question: Are media owners failing to recognize the value of gaming content, or is the audience simply shifting to independent platforms? Let’s discuss—what do you think is the future of games journalism in an era of corporate uncertainty?
