Highlights
- Fans are working to preserve Game Informer's 33-year history by sharing old magazine scans and copies of online-only articles.
- MinnMax, an initiative led by former Game Informer video producer Ben Hanson, welcomes any fan with old copies of the publication to share them on Discord.
- Hanson and his team are also working on a Game Informer documentary.
A group led by former Game Informer video producer Ben Hanson is working to preserve the publication’s nearly 33-year history in the wake of its recent shutdown. Late last week, it was announced that parent company GameStop was closing Game Informer, much to the dismay of fans who grew up reading the video game magazine. Game Informer was first distributed by gaming retailer FuncoLand in 1991, and was well-regarded for its exclusive content regarding upcoming releases by the time GameStop bought FuncoLand and, by extension, the magazine in 2000.
As such, the news of Game Informer shutting down was met with frustration and heavy hearts among longtime fans of the publication, with many sharing fond memories of the magazine. To make matters worse, Game Informer’s website now redirects to an announcement page regarding its closure, rendering many classic articles, interviews, and reviews lost. As of this writing, there is currently no word on whether Game Informer’s website will return as an archive of the magazine’s content. Unfortunately, Game Informer’s official Twitter account has also been taken offline.
The shutdown and removal of media has prompted several groups to work to restore and preserve Game Informer’s vast library of exclusive content, with one of the main initiatives being MinnMax. Led by former Game Informer video producer Ben Hanson, MinnMax has quickly become the go-to group for preserving Game Informer content in the wake of the magazine's abrupt end. As reported by VCG, fans have begun sharing old magazine scans and copies of online-only articles on MinnMax's Discord server.
Former Game Informer Producer Ben Hanson Is Also Making A Documentary
This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to MinnMax’s efforts to preserve Game Informer’s history, as Ben Hanson also told Game File that he and his group started shooting a documentary about the magazine back in 2019. Earlier this week, MinnMax released a short video of Hanson touring Game Informer’s final office space alongside fellow alumni Dan Ryckert, Leo Vader, and Alex Van Aken, during which they shared their memories of working on Game Informer in its heyday.
Game Informer’s shutdown means that countless interviews, reviews, and other exclusive features are currently in limbo, including promotional content for the upcoming RPG Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Thankfully, this might not always be the case, thanks to the efforts of dedicated fans and groups like MinnMax working to restore these articles to the internet. As for Ben Hanson, he says he hopes to release his documentary about Game Informer soon.
