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GameSpy And IGN To Merge

Posted by simoniker on from the eye-gee-spy dept.

Bagels writes "'I had a big company, and he had a big company, and now we have a very big company.' This very appropriate Simpsons quote begins IGN's announcement regarding its imminent merger with GameSpy Industries, their former rival. GameSpy has its own announcement about this, as well. The official press release claims the companies' two websites will remain separate entities, and those websites will retain their original feel; the merger is mainly to pool the financial (and likely informational) resources of the two companies. The merger will be completed in the first half of 2004 - SpyGN, anyone?"

7 of 78 comments (clear)

  1. Ads by fredrikj · · Score: 4, Funny

    Does this mean I'll have to click through two advertisement pages each time I want to read a review?

  2. Where's the benefit to us? by BortQ · · Score: 4, Interesting
    In any big merger like this I can't help but feel disappointed. We go from a state of having two independent sources to having only one.

    I'm sure that some staff will be let go to reduce costs and eliminate duplication. But the duplication is what users like. Two differing views are better than one.

    --

    A Multiplayer Strategy Game for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux
  3. Re: Gamespot is Good by davidslife_com · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I think that the reviews on Gamespot.com are way better than ad hoc reviews *or* stuff on Gamespy and IGN. Also, their video features and clips are much more representative . . .

  4. Two press birds with one webcomic stone! by Bansuki · · Score: 4, Funny

    Looks like PA can make fun of GameSpy and IGN at the same time now.

    --
    my book
  5. Good news and bad news by NetDanzr · · Score: 4, Insightful
    As a writer and editor for a small, independent review site, I view this merger as both good and bad.

    On one hand, with a single dominant company we are likely to get more visitors who are disenchanted with them. Before, manly people (not all, of course) went to IGN if they disliked GameSpy and vice versa; now they'll spread out over the smaller sites, and we are likely to get a piece of the pie. In addition, publishers will most likely catter to smaller sites more, as they won't stand idle while a marketing channel is getting monopolized.

    On the other hand, this merger does have some negative effects on me as a reviewer and a gamer. First, the new company would have enough leverage to try to push us out of the gaming field or acquire us, mainly by signing exclusive deals with publishers. Second, they'll have much more resources to overhype a game, which will result into high-quality titles (adventures, wargames, turn-based strategies) being pushed even further into background, killing of their developers and offering a smaller choice of games for me.

  6. Too late by Scrameustache · · Score: 4, Insightful

    those websites will retain their original feel;

    I'm sorry, but IGN lost its original feel about a gazillion annoying ads ago.

    Do they even have content anymore?

    --

    You can't take the sky from me...

    1. Re:Too late by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Best damn McGriddle review I ever read...lemme tell you that.