Report: Payment for some TheGamer staff now tied to per-article sessions
Valnet, the corporate parent of gaming media sites including GameRant and DualShockers, has restructured TheGamer’s compensation model, shifting staff payments from flat rates to a system based on per-article session counts. According to reports, this change has prompted multiple staff members to consider leaving their positions.
This development reflects a broader pattern of corporate consolidation destabilizing the video game media industry. Valnet’s restructuring of TheGamer follows previous turbulence across major gaming publications: Ziff Davis ownership of IGN, GamesIndustry.biz, and Humble resulted in significant staff reductions, while Valnet itself cut personnel at Polygon following its acquisition from Vox Media.
The shift to performance-based compensation raises concerns about editorial independence and job security. When writer income depends directly on article traffic, it creates incentive structures that prioritize clickable content over substantive game coverage, potentially disadvantaging coverage of niche topics and smaller studios that attract dedicated but smaller audiences.
The pattern of consolidation across gaming media has cascading effects on the industry’s health. As corporate entities prioritize profit margins over editorial quality, both established journalists and aspiring writers face increased uncertainty. The reduced stability of gaming media threatens not just media professionals but also game developers and studios of all sizes, who struggle to secure meaningful press coverage in an increasingly unstable landscape.