According to tech news website Re/code, AOL is likely to shut down its gaming news site Joystiq as part of a larger content overhaul. Joystiq has reported on the video game industry for over ten years and is a respected member of the video game news industry.
Originally thought to just be a rumor, Joystiq‘s News Content Director Alexander Sliwinski has confirmed that staffers “were aware of the closure” but have not yet received an official announcement.
The news fits a recent TechCrunch article, which claims AOL is in the process of closing down underperforming sites in a restructuring effort to focus on ad tech, content, and video. One of TechCrunch‘s sources was quoted as saying that the changes were about “stopping things that are not moving the needle while investing in things that are.”
Reactions
The hashtag #SaveJoystiq was trending on Twitter earlier today, an outpouring of public response to the news that Joystiq was shutting down.
Sliwinski took to Twitter today to thank readers and others in the industry for their support.
Thx to everyone for the outpouring of kindness about @Joystiq. This really is a wonderfully supportive industry. ❤ http://t.co/uYc7Kghl0D
— Alexander Sliwinski (@Sliwinski) January 27, 2015
But he’s not the only Joystiq writer to do so:
I would like to join my fellow @joystiq peeps and thank you all for the incredible outpouring of love and support. It’s flabbergasting.
— Richard Mitchell (@TheRichardM) January 27, 2015
Love. pic.twitter.com/juCnUDweMh
— Jessica Conditt (@JessConditt) January 27, 2015
Overjoyed to see the #SaveJoystiq tag recognizing my family. I have never stood beside a more entertaining, loving and brilliant team.
— Thomas Schulenberg (@T_Schulenberg) January 27, 2015
As a reader of Joystiq since I was in college, I can honestly say there’s no doubt that the site will be missed.
