The online game web site Polygon has been offered to click-farm powerhouse Valnet and far of its masthead has been laid off, Kotaku has discovered. The sale was subsequently introduced in a press launch. A number of workers members have posted on-line about shedding their jobs or about colleagues now being out of labor.
“I‘m now not with Polygon. For those who’re hiring, please take into account the numerous gifted writers and editors now in the marketplace,” posted Polygon co-founder and EIC Chris Plante. “Each one among them deserves a spot in your workers. I gained’t be speaking extra in regards to the sale as a result of I wasn’t concerned. Going to hang around with my child. Taking wins the place I can.”
The sale was confirmed in a press launch which didn’t point out the layoffs. The worth of the deal was not disclosed. Sources inform Kotaku that Deputy Editor Maddy Myers and Video games Editor Zoë Hannah are amongst people who stay at Polygon. Government Editor Chelsea Stark stated the layoffs included over 20 workers. Vox Media didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
“I’ll say extra later, however I now not have a job,” shared Senior Reporter Nicole Carpenter. “I’m on the lookout for work, as are so a lot of my wonderful colleagues. I’ve plenty of concepts and issues I’d like to put in writing. I’m actually in shock.” “I had a good time working at Polygon,” posted Senior Author Michael McWhertor. “Please let me know in case you have any cool job openings!”
Based in 2012 underneath Vox Media, the location rapidly established itself as one of many premier shops for authentic critiques, reporting, and cultural evaluation on the earth of gaming. Polygon’s protection of video video games, films, TV, comics, and board video games are a number of the finest round, whereas its forward-looking design sensibility helped elevate the way in which tales had been introduced and informed on-line.
Valnet relies in Montreal and operates Display Rant, Sport Rant, Comedian Ebook Sources, and different mass aggregators. The corporate is run by Hassan Youssef, who obtained his begin in digital media with on-line porn web sites. “The addition of Polygon not solely strengthens our editorial muscle but in addition amplifies our means to ship unmatched worth to each audiences and advertisers,” Youssef stated in a press launch at the moment.
In a report earlier this yr by TheWrap, many former contributors accused Valnet’s present media holdings of being exploitative content material mills. “In journalism, there are actually dangerous jobs. After which there’s a place like Valnet,” a former Collider contributor informed TheWrap. “[It’s] one of many worst locations that I’ve ever labored and might be one of many worst journalism publications I’ve ever seen.”
Valnet responded to the investigation by suing TheWrap for libel claiming the reporting was filled with errors and had precipitated the corporate’s founder “great emotional misery, affecting (amongst different issues) his temper, temperament and his means to sleep.”
The Vox Media Union blasted the sale and layoffs which occurred because it bargains over its subsequent contract. “Arguably much more demoralizing is Vox Media’s resolution to promote a lauded video games web site to an organization recognized for alleged exploitative circumstances and for devaluing rigorous journalism in favor of churning out content material,” it wrote in a press release. “Vox Media’s lack of respect for Polygon’s repute in video games media, the exhausting work and keenness of its workers, and the strong group of players and followers who help it couldn’t be clearer.”
It continued, “Shedding Polygon to such an organization is not only a loss for Vox Media, however for our trade and web tradition as an entire. From a sustainability perspective, it makes little monetary or long-term sense, and speaks to a scarcity of care and consideration for this firm and its workers.”
Replace 5/1/2025 5:06 p.m. ET: Vox SVP Chris Grant, who was Polygon’s founding Editor-in-Chief, shared perception into the deal and is obvious frustration with it on Bluesky. “14 years in the past I pitched what would grow to be Polygon to a startup known as Sports activities Blogs Inc on the unfurnished third flooring of a DC townhome,” he wrote. “I held a laptop computer on my knees and went by a deck. At this time that very same firm—now known as Vox Media—offered Polygon to Valnet.”
He continued, “Their press launch proudly calls Polygon a ‘premium gaming publication’ however Valnet actually refused to satisfy with me or reply a single query of mine all through this course of. They had been wildly incurious about how a gaming publication even turns into ‘premium.’ I actually, really (!) hope that the remaining Polygon crew will get an opportunity to proceed the work all of us cared about a lot! However by some means that is the tip of my journey with the factor I created.”
“My most heartfelt due to all the crew, I’m so sorry issues ended this fashion.”
Replace 5/1/2025 12:19 p.m. ET: Added feedback from the official press launch.
Replace 5/1/2025 4:13 p.m. ET: Added a press release from the Vox union.
Replace 5/1/2025 4:50 p.m. ET: Added point out of Valnet’s lawsuit.
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