> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.andrewliptak.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Polygon has been sold to Valnet - URL: https://www.andrewliptak.com/polygon-vox-media-valnet-journalism-writing/ - Published: 2025-05-01T18:31:54.000Z - Updated: 2025-05-01T18:31:54.000Z - Description: 🤬 - Author: Andrew Liptak - Tags: Writing, News The state of gaming journalism is in a dismal state at the moment, and there's been a lot of chatter about the state of the industry amongst the ranks of current and former journalists working in this space. Another shoe just dropped today (via [*Kotaku*](https://kotaku.com/polygon-sold-vox-media-valnet-layoffs-digital-gaming-1851778655?ref=andrewliptak.com)): Vox Media [has sold](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250501630767/en/Valnet-Acquires-Premium-Gaming-Publication-Polygon-from-Vox-Media?ref=andrewliptak.com) its gaming and entertainment site, *Polygon*, to Valnet, owner of such sites as *Screen Rant, Collider, CBR, Game Rant*, and a whole bunch of others. This is a distressing development, one that hits home for me: I worked for Vox Media's tech site *The Verge*, under *Polygon* co-founder Chris Plante, and knew and worked closely with a number of the writers who were currently at the site, and who have been laid off. When I left *The Verge*, Plante and the editors who worked there threw me a lifeline by letting me contribute to the site, where I wrote a number of pieces that I'm really proud of, like [Disney's refusal to pay some of its tie-in writers](https://www.polygon.com/2020/12/16/22166064/star-wars-alien-novelization-disney-royalties-sfwa-alan-dean-foster?ref=andrewliptak.com), [how cosplayer culture helped inspire *The Mandalorian*](https://www.polygon.com/star-wars/2020/4/23/21227476/star-wars-the-mandalorian-clone-wars-cosplay-timeline-boba-fett-mask-signet-costume?ref=andrewliptak.com)*,* [how the war on terror crept into the look and feel of *Halo*](https://www.polygon.com/22775372/halo-weapons-armor-history-military-influence-war-on-terror?ref=andrewliptak.com)*,* interviews with folks like [Timothy Zahn](https://www.polygon.com/star-wars/2020/9/3/21408128/star-wars-books-thrawn-ascendency-chaos-rising-timothy-zahn-interview-thrawn-trilogy?ref=andrewliptak.com) and [Mike Mignola](https://www.polygon.com/22839499/mike-mignola-art-hellboy-radio-spaceman?ref=andrewliptak.com), and nerdy explainers about everything from [Larry Niven's *Ringworld*](https://www.polygon.com/22903093/book-of-boba-fett-halo-ringworld-space-station?ref=andrewliptak.com)to [Isaac Asimov's *Foundation*](https://www.polygon.com/22691724/foundation-apple-tv-robot-lady-asimov-demerzel-three-laws?ref=andrewliptak.com) to [clone troopers](https://www.polygon.com/star-wars/2020/3/14/21179020/star-wars-clone-wars-rex-episodes-trooper-stories-expanded-universe?ref=andrewliptak.com). I'm angry and sad about this. The gaming industry is *massive*, but outlets are increasingly ignoring or cutting down on covering it. *The Washington Post* [closed down its gaming vertical *Launcher* in 2023](https://www.ign.com/articles/washington-post-is-closing-launcher-its-highly-regarded-video-game-website?ref=andrewliptak.com), Vice Media [shut down](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/vice-shutting-down-waypoint?ref=andrewliptak.com) *Waypoint* the same year,and [GameStop shuttered *Game Informer* in 2024](https://kotaku.com/game-informer-gamestop-meme-stock-gme-last-issue-1851611973?ref=andrewliptak.com). There have been some bright points: [*Game Informer*](https://www.gameinformer.com/?ref=andrewliptak.com) was [recently brought back](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/game-informer-returns-after-being-shut-down-by-gamestop?ref=andrewliptak.com) from the dead, Walmart [recently launched](https://www.theverge.com/2024/12/17/24323309/walmart-restart-run-game-informer-ziff-davis-buyouts?ref=andrewliptak.com) [*Restart*](https://www.restart.run/?ref=andrewliptak.com)*,* and former *Kotaku* staffers (that site itself going through a ton of cuts) launched an excellent site, [*Aftermath*](https://aftermath.site/?ref=andrewliptak.com). *Polygon* was a site that I'd never imagine getting cut from Vox's lineup, and what really gets me here is that Vox sold off the site – one with a really strong masthead with committed and curious writers – to Valnet, whose portfolio is made up of sites that churn out an endless stream of click-bait garbage. The site was recently the [subject of an investigation by *TheWrap*](https://www.thewrap.com/valnet-labor-lawsuit-hassan-youssef-digital-media-sweat-shop/?ref=andrewliptak.com), which reported on the working conditions and pay: > When Valnet takes over a fan site, the playbook is well established: employees are replaced by contractors, compensation plummets and writers who complain land on a blacklist that blocks them from working for Valnet sites altogether. Given that a ton of writers that I respect were just laid off, I have to imagine that that's what's going to happen with *Polygon* now is that its interesting, well-researched (and infused with a good sense of journalistic ethics) explainers, reviews, and commentaries will be replaced with more SEO clickbait. It's a damn shame, because it means a lot of talented writers are now out of work and a site that did a lot of good coverage probably won't be any longer.