Polygon Sold To Valnet And Hit With Mass Layoffs

The video crippled website Polygon has been sold to click-farm powerhouse Valnet and overmuch of its masthead has been laid off, Kotaku has learned. The merchantability was subsequently announced successful a property release. Multiple unit members person posted online astir losing their jobs oregon astir colleagues present being retired of work.

“I‘m nary longer with Polygon. If you’re hiring, delight see the galore talented writers and editors present connected the market,” posted Polygon co-founder and EIC Chris Plante. “Every 1 of them deserves a spot connected your staff. I won’t beryllium talking much astir the merchantability due to the fact that I wasn’t involved. Going to bent retired with my kid. Taking wins wherever I can.”

The merchantability was confirmed successful a property merchandise which did not notation the layoffs. The terms of the woody was not disclosed. Sources archer Kotaku that Deputy Editor Maddy Myers and Games Editor Zoë Hannah are among those that stay astatine Polygon. Executive Editor Chelsea Stark said the layoffs included implicit 20 staff. Vox Media did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

“I’ll accidental much later, but I nary longer person a job,” shared Senior Reporter Nicole Carpenter. “I’m looking for work, arsenic are truthful galore of my astonishing colleagues. I person tons of ideas and things I’d similar to write. I’m truly successful shock.” “I had a large clip moving astatine Polygon,” posted Senior Writer Michael McWhertor. “Please fto maine cognize if you person immoderate chill occupation openings!”

Founded successful 2012 nether Vox Media, the tract rapidly established itself arsenic 1 of the premier outlets for archetypal reviews, reporting, and taste investigation successful the satellite of gaming. Polygon’s sum of video games, movies, TV, comics, and committee games are immoderate of the champion around, portion its forward-looking plan sensibility helped elevate the mode stories were presented and told online.

Valnet is based successful Montreal and operates Screen Rant, Game Rant, Comic Book Resources, and different wide aggregators. The institution is tally by Hassan Youssef, who got his commencement successful integer media with online porn websites. “The summation of Polygon not lone strengthens our editorial musculus but besides amplifies our quality to present unmatched worth to some audiences and advertisers,” Youssef said successful a property merchandise today.

In a study earlier this twelvemonth by TheWrap, galore erstwhile contributors accused Valnet’s existent media holdings of being exploitative contented mills. “In journalism, determination are truly atrocious jobs. And past determination is simply a spot similar Valnet,” a erstwhile Collider contributor told TheWrap. “[It’s] 1 of the worst places that I’ve ever worked and is astir apt 1 of the worst journalism publications I’ve ever seen.”

Valnet responded to the probe by suing TheWrap for libel claiming the reporting was afloat of errors and had caused the company’s laminitis “tremendous affectional distress, affecting (among different things) his mood, temperament and his quality to sleep.”

The Vox Media Union blasted the merchantability and layoffs which occurred arsenic it bargains implicit its adjacent contract. “Arguably adjacent much demoralizing is Vox Media’s determination to merchantability a lauded games website to a institution known for alleged exploitative conditions and for devaluing rigorous journalism successful favour of churning retired content,” it wrote successful a statement. “Vox Media’s deficiency of respect for Polygon’s estimation successful games media, the hard enactment and passionateness of its staff, and the robust assemblage of gamers and fans who enactment it could not beryllium clearer.”

It continued, “Losing Polygon to specified a institution is not conscionable a nonaccomplishment for Vox Media, but for our manufacture and net civilization arsenic a whole. From a sustainability perspective, it makes small fiscal oregon semipermanent sense, and speaks to a deficiency of attraction and information for this institution and its staff.”

Update 5/1/2025 5:06 p.m. ET: Vox SVP Chris Grant, who was Polygon’s founding Editor-in-Chief, shared penetration into the woody and is evident vexation with it on Bluesky. “14 years agone I pitched what would go Polygon to a startup called Sports Blogs Inc connected the unfurnished 3rd level of a DC townhome,” helium wrote. “I held a laptop connected my knees and went done a deck. Today that aforesaid company—now called Vox Media—sold Polygon to Valnet.”

He continued, “Their property merchandise proudly calls Polygon a ‘premium gaming publication’ but Valnet virtually refused to conscionable with maine oregon reply a azygous question of excavation passim this process. They were wildly incurious astir however a gaming work adjacent becomes ‘premium.’ I really, genuinely (!) anticipation that the remaining Polygon squad gets a accidental to proceed the enactment we each cared astir truthful much! But someway this is the extremity of my travel with the happening I created.”

“My astir heartfelt acknowledgment to the full team, I’m truthful atrocious things ended this way.”

Update 5/1/2025 12:19 p.m. ET: Added comments from the authoritative property release.

Update 5/1/2025 4:13 p.m. ET: Added a connection from the Vox union.

Update 5/1/2025 4:50 p.m. ET: Added notation of Valnet’s lawsuit.

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