History of Game Informer in Timeline

Game Informer is an American monthly video game magazine that provides articles, news, strategies, and reviews of video games and consoles. Originating as an in-house newsletter for FuncoLand in August 1991, it was later acquired by GameStop in 2000. This acquisition led to significant in-store promotion, contributing to the magazine's popularity. By June 2017, it had become the fifth-most popular magazine based on circulation.

August 1991: Game Informer Debut

In August 1991, Game Informer debuted with Elizabeth Olson as editor-in-chief and Andy McNamara as her editorial assistant. The launch was spearheaded by FuncoLand's owner, David R. Pomijie.

1993: Co-Editors-In-Chief Appointed

In 1993, Elizabeth Olson and Andy McNamara jointly became co-editors-in-chief of Game Informer.

November 1994: Monthly Publication Begins

In November 1994, Game Informer transitioned from being published every two months to a monthly release schedule.

August 1996: Game Informer Online Launched

In August 1996, Game Informer Online was originally launched, featuring daily news updates and articles.

November 1999: Web Editors Hired

In November 1999, Justin Leeper and Matthew Kato were hired as full-time web editors for Game Informer Online.

2000: GameStop Acquires FuncoLand and Game Informer

In 2000, GameStop Corp. was formed through acquisitions and mergers, leading to GameStop's purchase of both FuncoLand and Game Informer.

2000: Acquisition by GameStop

In 2000, the video game retailer GameStop acquired FuncoLand, and with it, Game Informer magazine.

January 2001: Original Website Closed

Around January 2001, the original GameInformer.com site was closed as part of GameStop's purchase of the magazine.

2001: Cathy Preston Becomes Publisher

In 2001, Cathy Preston became the publisher of Game Informer, after having worked as part of the production team since 2000. She integrated the publication into GameStop's Power Up Rewards customer loyalty program.

September 2003: GI Online Revived

In September 2003, GI Online was revived at the same domain name with a full redesign and new features. It was managed by Billy Berghammer.

2004: Matt Miller joins Game Informer

Matt Miller started working at Game Informer in 2004.

June 2006: First Sacred Cow Barbecues

The first Sacred Cow Barbecues featured in issue 158 (June 2006).

July 2008: Sacred Cow Barbecues in Issue 183

The Sacred Cow Barbecues are featured in the issue 183 (July 2008).

March 2009: Website Redesign Begins

In March 2009, the online staff began creating the code for the latest redesign of the Game Informer website, to coincide with the magazine's own redesign.

October 1, 2009: Redesigned Website Goes Live

On October 1, 2009, the newly redesigned Game Informer website went live, featuring a rebuilt media player and user activity feed. The magazine's podcast, The Game Informer Show, was also launched.

November 2009: Game Informer Launched in Australia

In November 2009, Game Informer was launched in Australia by Chris Stead and Citrus Media.

2009: Classic GI Discontinued

In 2009, the "Classic GI" section, which provided brief reviews of older games, was discontinued months before the magazine's redesign.

June 2010: First Local Games Publication to Pass 10,000 Subscribers

By June 2010, Game Informer Australia became the first local games publication to pass 10,000 subscribers.

August 18, 2010: Australia's Biggest-Selling Video Games Publication

By August 18, 2010, Game Informer Australia had become Australia's biggest-selling video games publication.

November 2010: Sacred Cow Barbecues in Issue 211

The Sacred Cow Barbecues are featured in the issue 211 (November 2010).

2010: Berghammer at EGM Media Group

In 2010, Billy Berghammer was the editor-in-chief at EGM Media Group.

2010: 5th Largest Magazine in the US

In 2010, Game Informer became the 5th largest magazine in the US with 5 million copies sold, surpassing publications like Time, Sports Illustrated, and Playboy.

2011: 3rd Largest Magazine in the US

By 2011, Game Informer had climbed to become the 3rd largest magazine in the US, with over 8 million copies circulated.

2014: Falls to 4th Place

In 2014, Game Informer had fallen to 4th place in magazine rankings with 6.9 million copies sold.

January 2015: Sacred Cow Barbecues in Issue 261

The Sacred Cow Barbecues are featured in the issue 261 (January 2015).

June 2017: Fifth-Most Popular Magazine

As of June 2017, Game Informer was the fifth-most popular magazine by copies circulated.

2017: Magazine at 4th Place

Figures in 2017 placed Game Informer at 4th place with over 7 million copies sold.

April 18, 2019: Game Informer Australia Closed Down

On April 18, 2019, Game Informer Australia was closed down due to cost-cutting measures from its publishing company, EB Games Australia.

August 2019: Game Informer Staff Layoffs

In August 2019, amidst declining financials for GameStop, roughly half of the Game Informer staff were laid off as part of a larger cut of more than 120 jobs by GameStop. Some staff members had worked there for over 10 years, including video editor Ben Hanson, who then started his own podcast called MinnMax.

2019: Andy McNamara Still EIC

In 2019, Andy McNamara was still serving as the magazine's Editor-in-Chief.

March 2020: Additional Layoffs at Game Informer

In March 2020, another set of layoffs occurred at Game Informer, affecting non-editorial staff members.

June 2020: McNamara Leaves Game Informer

In late June 2020, Andy McNamara, longtime Editor-in-Chief, announced his departure from Game Informer to become the Global Director of Integrated Comms for Shooters & Star Wars at Electronic Arts. Former senior editor Andrew Reiner took his place as EIC. McNamara gave his final review for the game "The Last of Us Part II".

2020: Mary Lugones Takes Over as Publisher

In 2020, Cathy Preston retired from Game Informer after 20 years, and Mary Lugones took over as publisher.

November 4, 2021: Game Informer Gold Announced

On November 4, 2021, the official website announced a limited print run variant known as Game Informer Gold, which will use high quality paper, have an alternate cover and is limited to 50 copies.

September 2022: Andrew Reiner Leaves Game Informer

In September 2022, Andrew Reiner left Game Informer to become a game developer, leaving the publication with no original staff. Matt Miller was promoted to EIC.

March 2024: New Print Magazine Subscription Launched

In March 2024, Game Informer launched a new print magazine subscription, standalone from GameStop's Power Up Rewards, at a special annual price of $19.91, offering 10 print issues per year and digital magazine access.

July 2024: Final Issue Published

In July 2024, Game Informer's 368th issue was published as its final issue.

August 2, 2024: GameStop Shuts Down Game Informer

On August 2, 2024, GameStop leadership abruptly shuttered Game Informer and laid off its staff. The publication's website was replaced with a "farewell" page.

August 5, 2024: Former Staff Share Farewell Message

On August 5, 2024, a former Game Informer staffer seemingly took control of the Game Informer X account one last time to share a proper farewell before it was wiped by Gamestop.

August 2024: Game Informer Discontinued

In August 2024, GameStop discontinued Game Informer after 33 years of publication and 368 issues. The associated website was also shut down with its digital archive removed.

2024: Website Content Deleted

In 2024, when the magazine folded, the website's content was deleted and replaced with a splash page.

March 2025: Acquisition by Gunzilla Games

In March 2025, Game Informer announced its acquisition by Gunzilla Games, becoming its own business. The acquisition includes a revival of the website and the restoration of the digital archive.

March 19, 2025: Social Media Teaser

On March 19, 2025, Game Informer shared a video featuring a farewell message with a teaser for March 25, hinting at a launch or announcement.

March 25, 2025: Gunzilla Games Purchases Game Informer

On March 25, 2025, Game Informer announced that Gunzilla Games had purchased the publication and hired back the laid-off staff. The website and digital archive were relaunched with plans to revive the magazine later in the year.