Gamasutra, the organization that has brought the latest in video game industry news, opinion, and developer insight, has rebranded to Game Developer on August 26, 2021.
The name change is intended to describe the audience of the site and also serves to reprise the name of the site’s sister publication, Game Developer magazine, that ceased printing in 2013. Former editor-in-chief Kris Graft announced the rebrand in a post on the site, explaining that the Gamasutra name had been in conflict with the site’s content. With reference to more serious topics, it was explained that the brand clinging to “a late-90s ‘LOL SEX’ connotation is beyond the pale” as the site covers reports of industry sexism.
Not only was the name “Gamasutra” outdated, but the entire website was due for an upgrade. The new homepage is sleeker and easier to navigate than its predecessor, with more features and upgrades arriving in the weeks to come.
Even with Gamasutra’s reputation and editorial vision, the name was always cringey, and alienated people outside or adjacent to the game industry. The name was (and is) typically met with a “what’d you say?” or impressive side-eye. I don’t blame people who reacted that way, because as much pride as I have working on Gamasutra, I’ve felt the same way. I and the people who work on the site have for a long time.
Kris Graft, Former editor-in-chief at Gamasutra
Aside from a new name, from now on you’ll be visiting an all-new website. Game Developer is located on the EBM (Exact Brand Match) domain GameDeveloper.com. The company also owns the domain name Gamasutra.com which redirects to GameDeveloper.com at the moment. The team is aiming to bring all of the site’s content over alongside ensuring all links to Gamasutra are correctly redirected.
The rebrand has also seen a changeup in the site’s staff. With Graft now as publisher, Alissa McAloon has stepped in as editor-in-chief, with Bryant Francis becoming the site’s senior editor. Chris Kerr meanwhile is now a full-time news editor, and the team may be set to welcome a new member soon.
We hope the above information will help you in making informed decisions about your brand. If you want to say hi or have any questions about naming, branding, and domain names get in touch, we’re always happy to hear from you.
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