Vox Media has sold its video game website Polygon to Valnet, resulting in mass layoffs and an uncertain future for the specialty site. While exact details of the sale remain unclear, an official press release outlines how Valnet will fold Polygon into its Content slate, joining sites like Comic Book Resources, GameRant, and ScreenRant. Insiders have confirmed to Kotaku that Deputy Editor Maddy Myers and Games Editor Zoë Hannah will continue in their roles with the rest of the editorial team, over 20 staff members, impacted by the sale seemingly without warning.
“I’m no longer with Polygon.” Polygon co-founder Chris Plante posted on Bluesky, one of the many former workers who took to social media to share what they could of the unfolding events. “If you’re hiring, please consider the many talented writers and editors now on the market. Every one of them deserves a spot on your staff. I won’t be talking more about the sale because I wasn’t involved.”
Elsewhere, as noted by Ars Technica, Senior Reporter Nicole Carpenter had published a news piece on Polygon just hours before posting on Bluesky “I’ll say more later, but I no longer have a job. I’m looking for work, as are *so* many of my amazing colleagues”. Carpenter is among the many Polygon staff flooding the site with similar posts, with Senior Writer Michael McWhertor and Curation Editor Pete Volk sharing similar sentiments.
Founded in 2012 by a collection of video game journalists intent on changing the tone and tenor of games media, Polygon’s 13-year run is marked by considered and insightful cultural reporting with a progressive edge. While no official plans for the site have been shared by its new owners, Valnet’s particular brand of click-driven content, alongside its decision to effectively wipe the editorial slate clean, does not inspire hope.
“The addition of Polygon not only strengthens our editorial muscle but also amplifies our ability to deliver unmatched value to both audiences and advertisers,” said Valnet CEO Hassan Youssef via press release, “at Valnet, we’re not just participants in this space; we are its undisputed leader, and today, that leadership has never felt stronger.” Valnet’s path to this perceived cultural leadership has been under scrutiny following a report from The Wrap that claims Youssef’s online media empire is a pit of worker exploitation, to which Youssef responded with a libel suit.
The Vox Media Union has since established a GoFundMe page to support the impacted workers, with any funds raised distributed among those laid off. “Vox Media’s lack of respect for Polygon’s reputation in games media, the hard work and passion of its staff, and the robust community of gamers and fans who support it could not be clearer” the union has said in an official statement, continuing “Losing Polygon to such a company is not just a loss for Vox Media, but for our industry and internet culture as a whole. From a sustainability perspective, it makes little financial or long-term sense, and speaks to a lack of care and consideration for this company and its staff.”
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One part pretentious academic and one part goofy dickhead, James is often found defending strange games and frowning at the popular ones, but he's happy to play just about everything in between. An unbridled love for FromSoftware's pantheon, a keen eye for vibes first experiences, and an insistence on the Oxford comma have marked his time in the industry.
