TheGamer suffers mass layoffs, Valnet keeps the site in reduced format

The video game TheGamer website has undergone widespread layoffs in its editorial team, according to former employees. This is a critical point that marks another difficult period for the specialized media in games.

The layoffs were confirmed on Wednesday, with team members turning to social media to announce their departure. According to multiple former employees who spoke anonymously to VGC, entire sections teams were "decimated".

The TheGamer content will continue in a reduced format, according to reports from those who remain on the portal. The scale of the cuts surprised even those who were expecting layoffs. VGC reached out to Valnet, TheGamer's parent company, for comments.

The Features lead, Jade King, confirmed on X that her entire team was let go. The news editor, Rhiannon Bevan, who remains on the site, lamented the loss on Bluesky:

"TheGamer is losing so much talent today, it breaks my heart. On a personal and professional level, I can't put the loss into words."

The TheGamer was founded in 2017. Valnet also owns OpenCritic, Game Rant and, since the beginning of 2025, Polygon.

The layoffs at TheGamer add to a series of recent job losses in game journalism:

In May 2025, Polygon was sold to Valnet, resulting in the layoff of many employees, including the then editor-in-chief, Chris Plante.

Also in May, Giant Bomb had significant departures from team members after a dispute with its then owner, Fandom. The team managed to buy the brand and kept the site through a fan-supported model.

Other major publications, such as IGN and Gamer Network (which includes Eurogamer, GamesIndustry.biz and VG247), have also experienced job losses in the past year.

The TheGamer video game website has undergone widespread layoffs, with entire editorial teams being "decimated". The portal, owned by Valnet (OpenCritic, Game Rant and Polygon), will continue to operate in a reduced format. The layoffs add to a wave of cuts in game media, including job losses at Polygon (sold to Valnet) and Giant Bomb.