Home Gaming A walk through the valley of the dead gaming sites

A walk through the valley of the dead gaming sites

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Death, decay and destruction.. Happy Friday

The number of people I see starting gaming sites thinking this gig is easy and that all we do is play free games and get money thrown at us is incredible. I’d say an easy 95% of these go down in the first year while out of the 5% remaining less than 1% ever actually become sustainable.

Looking locally it’s quite easy to see what I’m talking about when you look at the five biggest sites in the country being us, GameZone (Mweb), Mygaming (MyBroadband), Do Gaming (Telkom) and I’d hazard a guess at IGN (NAG Magazine) . Four of those are supported, if not entirely reliant on their parent companies to continue existing.

When we look at the smaller sites I don’t think it’s unfair to say that none of them are earning enough to stand on their own two  feet. Hell even we can’t make our bills every month which is depressing in itself. But we’re not alone in this country as a lot of large gaming websites have shuttered in the past few years and due to my morbid curiosity I decided to create a list of them. Let me know if I’ve missed any.

1UP.com

The highest profile collapse has to be 1UP which hasn’t been updated since the 4th of June 2013 –  but it at least still looks like a running site

1UP.com  Video Game Reviews, Cheats, and More

EGM

EGM closed their doors back in 2012 and their site is now simply a listing of their last magazines… look how depressing this is.

EGMi - The Digital Magazine   EGMi

GameSpy

Anyone who gamed before Steam arrived knows about GameSpy but did you know it’s now dead and has been since February last year?

GameSpy  PC Games, Reviews, News, Previews, Demos, Mods   Patches

G4TV

It’s also been just over a year since G4TV aired their last of their 1378 episodes.

Video Games, Game Reviews   News - G4tv.com

I think what’s most depressing about all of these sites is that they all had a ton of money and hits backing them up but they simply couldn’t monetize well enough and eventually had to be shut down. Some well known local sites haven’t faired any better with one of my earliest reads shutting down last year.

PS3Blog

I actually approached PS3Blog a few years ago to see if we could team up and work together but it never really worked out. It’s a pity as I liked their dedicated approach but it wasn’t sustainable.

PS3Blog.co.za   If it's PS3 News Its Here!

NintyGamer

One site that didn’t surprise me when it went bust was the local attempt at a Nintendo dedicated site in a country that really isn’t a big Nintendo fan. Nintygamer died last year May even though they somehow managed to get Diablo 3 marketing money which says more about some marketing companies than Nintygamer I think

NintyGamer   South African Ninty Fan Site

So what other sites that you used to visit often have fallen by the wayside and which large sites are you expecting to fail next?

My personal bet is Kotaku will soon no longer be listed as a videogame website and will become an entirely geek culture based website. I’m also not sure IGN’s latest plan for localised portals is going to be a sustainable business as it appears to increase their costs and maintenance while not really offering  much unique. 

I also think the next wave of changes will be more in line with mergers than anyone closing. I can see Eurogamer and VG247 officially merging and becoming a single site along with Polygon and Microsoft… okay that was mean. Maybe more importantly we should be asking if videogame websites have any future at all, would you prefer to get your news in a different way?

Last Updated: January 31, 2014

85 Comments

  1. Umar Break Dancing Cyborg

    January 31, 2014 at 11:37

    Lazygamer + Siliconera. Can’t live without them…..Used to love 1Up too, pity about them.

    Reply

    • HvR

      January 31, 2014 at 15:08

      Really miss their podcast.

      Reply

  2. TiMsTeR1033

    January 31, 2014 at 11:38

    what about sites like http://www.happypuppy.com?

    Reply

    • SheHulkNigri

      January 31, 2014 at 12:22

      Yeah. Happypuppy was the go to site for all your Doom cheats…

      Reply

  3. Alien Emperor Trevor

    January 31, 2014 at 11:51

    I used to enjoy http://www.firingsquad.com back in the day.

    Reply

  4. Unavengedavo

    January 31, 2014 at 11:54

    To me it’s not just about the news, but the community as well and I would not like to see LG join the ranks of the fallen

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief in Vegas

      January 31, 2014 at 11:55

      Luckily we have STEAM should Gav decide to run with the money 😛

      Reply

      • Unavengedavo

        January 31, 2014 at 11:57

        Well if he does… I know where he lives!… No wait, I have said too much O_o

        Reply

        • TiMsTeR1033

          January 31, 2014 at 11:58

          *Stalker mode activated

          Reply

          • Unavengedavo

            January 31, 2014 at 12:01

            I’m not stalking him… All I am saying is that he should pay no attention to the garden gnome outside his bedroom window

          • TiMsTeR1033

            January 31, 2014 at 12:03

            Good place to put a camera!

          • General JJ PanGirl

            January 31, 2014 at 12:05

            Sies man. Darryn isn’t a garden gnome.

          • TiMsTeR1033

            January 31, 2014 at 12:05

            a garden troll then, better?

          • General JJ PanGirl

            January 31, 2014 at 12:10

            Sounds about right.

          • The D

            January 31, 2014 at 12:51

            I’m more of a hobgoblin, you speciest.

          • General JJ PanGirl

            January 31, 2014 at 12:59

            Menacing.

        • RinceThis2014

          January 31, 2014 at 12:03

          Oi, you!

          Reply

          • Unavengedavo

            January 31, 2014 at 12:05

            What? :O

        • TiMsTeR1033

          January 31, 2014 at 12:04

      • RinceThis2014

        January 31, 2014 at 12:03

        Should?

        Reply

  5. Hammersteyn

    January 31, 2014 at 11:55

    I used to like Machinima. But after the XBOX reveal Bruce Greene started becoming very biased. Also they had to work away the money scandal thing. My point is sometimes I’m lazy and skim the articles but videos grabs your attention and all you have to do is gawk at the screen and listen.

    Reply

  6. ALKi1234

    January 31, 2014 at 11:57

    I was once a proud subscriber of NAG magazines. But now that the internet so blown up it’s just way easier and faster on a website like lazygamer. i need my daily fix.

    Reply

  7. Quentin Huggett

    January 31, 2014 at 11:57

    Voodoo Extreme, Firingsquad….

    Oks don’t even know.

    Reply

  8. General JJ PanGirl

    January 31, 2014 at 11:58

    Oh gamespy. Rest in peace.

    Reply

    • TiMsTeR1033

      January 31, 2014 at 11:58

      I wonder if fileplanet still going then..

      Reply

      • Gustav Willem Diedericks

        January 31, 2014 at 13:29

        Fileplanet also got killed. if you logon now they say they don’t accept any new content and are busy archiving the site. IGN killed them both :'(

        Reply

  9. Skyblue

    January 31, 2014 at 11:59

    I’ve stopped using IGN almost entirely since they started redirecting me to the local site.
    Miss Firingsquad from back in the day (when Thresh was still involved).

    Reply

  10. AndriyP

    January 31, 2014 at 12:01

    This reminds me what happened to the local game trading website from a year ago or so, you guys still had an article about them?

    Gamebuddy or something like that

    Reply

    • Gavin Mannion

      January 31, 2014 at 12:33

      I think they died as well…

      Reply

      • AndriyP

        January 31, 2014 at 13:24

        RIP GAMERBUDDIES

        Reply

  11. Umar Break Dancing Cyborg

    January 31, 2014 at 12:01

    michelle pfeiffer

    Reply

  12. Ryan Peter

    January 31, 2014 at 12:03

    Do Gaming still going strong 😀

    Reply

    • Gavin Mannion

      January 31, 2014 at 12:33

      oops that was bad of me… but yes backed by Telkom money so it goes in the first few

      Reply

  13. TiMsTeR1033

    January 31, 2014 at 12:03

  14. RinceThis2014

    January 31, 2014 at 12:09

    LG seems to be doing something right. Here are my reasons. 1. Gavin would find a way to force a Trappist monk to tell him to sod off, this appeals to the DOTA, cough, sorry, appeals to the journalists out there who want to know more. 2. Zoe has, assets and is passionate about egames. Erm, Geoff makes us feel clever by deliberately miss spelling all the time, Stephan has taken one for the whole of the SA team by living in Earth made hell (also known as Australia) and Darryn, well, you won’t find anyone as passionate about gaming, cartoons and his cat. I was going to put cosplay down, but seeing as he SOLD his Batman suit he he lost that right… LG for the winners! Keep growing the community by arranging meetings. It breaks that fourth wall and gets people more involved. I still think a gallery of sorts is a fine idea. Keep up the good work, and let’s hope you never go the way of my childhood love, Nintendo Power *sobs

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief in Vegas

      January 31, 2014 at 12:10

      dem ( . )( . )

      Reply

    • TiMsTeR1033

      January 31, 2014 at 12:13

      and remember on LG your find some famous local celebs too!

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief in Vegas

        January 31, 2014 at 12:14

        Yeah, Rooibos Rince and oVg are quite the legends

        Reply

        • RinceThis2014

          January 31, 2014 at 12:15

          Everytime I see Rooibos Rince I think Robocop for some reason! 😛

          Reply

          • TiMsTeR1033

            January 31, 2014 at 12:16

            If Robocop was a ginger, hell would open and the end would be apon us all.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            January 31, 2014 at 12:30

            A ginger Robocop made me think of this for some reason…

        • TiMsTeR1033

          January 31, 2014 at 12:15

          So are you man

          Reply

    • The D

      January 31, 2014 at 12:34

      Just you wait, Batman shall return!

      Reply

      • RinceThis2014

        January 31, 2014 at 12:37

        Sweatman did you say?

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief in Vegas

          January 31, 2014 at 12:56

          LOOOOOL, I will never forget the first time meeting Darryn, all short and sweaty!

          Reply

          • RinceThis2014

            January 31, 2014 at 12:58

            I look forward to meeting all you crazy cats at Rage 🙂

          • Admiral Chief in Vegas

            January 31, 2014 at 13:00

            Just for that, I’ll make a plan to go this year Rincey old boy!

          • RinceThis2014

            January 31, 2014 at 13:01

            Cool bro. I’ll hopefully be coming up with the younger brother. I have a nice black book and a cricketbat. I’ve been taking names down, and Geoff is on the top of the list… 0-O

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            January 31, 2014 at 13:23

            Geoff is at the top of your little black book? O_O

          • RinceThis2014

            January 31, 2014 at 13:25

            Oh don’t you worry Leslie, you’re a close second.

  15. TiMsTeR1033

    January 31, 2014 at 12:09

    • Admiral Chief in Vegas

      January 31, 2014 at 12:10

      wtf dude

      Reply

      • TiMsTeR1033

        January 31, 2014 at 12:16

        They are not what you think!

        Reply

    • Unavengedavo

      January 31, 2014 at 12:11

      If we didn’t know any better we would assume that you were some sort of pedobear judging by those links… O_o

      Reply

      • General JJ PanGirl

        January 31, 2014 at 12:11

        pedodwarf*

        Reply

        • TiMsTeR1033

          January 31, 2014 at 12:17

          Dwarf that will kick you in the nads!

          Reply

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            January 31, 2014 at 12:27

            Headbutt you mean. Unless you’re flexible.

          • General JJ PanGirl

            January 31, 2014 at 12:58

            lol

          • Admiral Chief in Vegas

            January 31, 2014 at 13:00

            LOL the image I have in my head now, so much of lolz!

    • Gavin Mannion

      January 31, 2014 at 12:32

      you forgot http://www.expertsexchang.com where I used to be a regular

      Reply

    • CAE9872

      January 31, 2014 at 13:03

      whahahahahahaha…when you read them they sound down right sinister. Click on them and its hilarious! Some people need to rethink their names methinks…unless it gets you many hits for all the wrong (right?) reasons.

      Reply

  16. Christiaan Joubert

    January 31, 2014 at 12:15

    I’m willing to bet some local forums are gonna close down soon too…

    Reply

  17. Christiaan Joubert

    January 31, 2014 at 12:16

    Btw anybody remember the amazing gaming cheat mega site that was gamewinners???

    Reply

  18. Sageville

    January 31, 2014 at 12:27

    I think the key to sustainability in this space is to not specialize, e.g. Nintendo / PS3 etc based sites will struggle for content, while sites like ours can at least pit the Xboners vs PS4evas for instant flametastic hits.

    Also, if you offer only the same stuff that exists on other sites why would anyone go there, LG has some unique features that keep peeps coming back, if you removed those, you’d probably lose your market share.

    Reply

  19. Rags

    January 31, 2014 at 13:32

    I dunno, sites need a better way to monetise. Its really tough out there. Dunno, I am a card carrying member of some societies, don’t see why I would not have an annual R120 debit order for Lazygamer and have a small supporter icon next to my name?

    A non pay to read, free to read website. With supporter gimmicks 😛

    Reply

    • RinceThis2014

      January 31, 2014 at 13:33

      We can then make it so that when we post we must pay for each sentence! That way they make money and it stops the trolls out there. But then again I am not sure I have enough money out there to

      Reply

      • Rags

        January 31, 2014 at 13:35

        Damn, I mainly come here to ague and troll ;(

        Reply

        • RinceThis2014

          January 31, 2014 at 14:33

          5$ PLEZZ 😉

          Reply

          • ToshZA

            January 31, 2014 at 15:01

            Its PLZZZZZ – get your begging right. You need to play more MMORPG’s man.

          • RinceThis2014

            January 31, 2014 at 15:03

            But I could only afford 2 Zs!

          • ToshZA

            January 31, 2014 at 15:06

            This country can barely afford one.

  20. AndriyP

    January 31, 2014 at 13:35

    This makes me think if LG didnt join IGN would they be in the grave too?

    Reply

    • Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim

      January 31, 2014 at 14:13

      ..We didn’t join IGN?

      Reply

      • Rags

        January 31, 2014 at 14:45

        Maybe he meant NAG?

        Reply

    • Gavin Mannion

      January 31, 2014 at 14:14

      Say what? Why would you say such a nasty thing to us?

      Also if you meant News24 we didn’t join them either.. we just syndicate but yes we could have died without that syndication in the early years

      Reply

      • ToshZA

        January 31, 2014 at 14:59

        News24 is how I found you lot. I haven’t been on N24 in 6 months since, so…

        Reply

  21. Darryl Linington

    January 31, 2014 at 13:36

    From my side as the editor of http://www.itfgaming.com (South African Based), we will still be around for many years to come. And I certainly hope the other local guys stick around too. It is a lot of hard work to run a site, and those who are dedicated and passionate will be the survivors.

    Reply

  22. ToshZA

    January 31, 2014 at 15:10

    http://www.prophecy.co.za – the old gaming forums and website (could also be .net – it’s been a while – but the website is no longer around). the .co.za is now just a computer parts online retailer.

    Reply

  23. HvR

    January 31, 2014 at 15:21

    Didn’t a lot of these website belong to “hardcopy” magazine publishers and it was decided by the publishers that the websites were not worth it not necessarily anything to do with the actual viability of the sites.

    I know that the 1UP and EGM sites were owned (after a bunch of acquisitions) by the same company that owns IGN and that they decided to close down the competition sites and focus on IGN. (remember some of the podcast guys bitching about it)

    Reply

  24. guest

    January 31, 2014 at 16:03

    I quite enjoyed xboxgaming.co.za. It had a fun, little community a few years back.

    Reply

  25. Funballons

    February 1, 2014 at 03:26

    1up was the original site that the likes of n4g became, I miss them

    Reply

  26. bartleby451

    February 2, 2014 at 21:10

    1up is the only other site I’ve heard of. Anyone who uses the name Ninty deserves to be shut down.

    Reply

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