GamesRadar+ (formerly GamesRadar) is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc.[1] In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites Total Film, SFX, Edge and Computer and Video Games were merged into GamesRadar, with the resulting, expanded website being renamed GamesRadar+ in November that year.

GamesRadar+
Type of site
Video game website
Available inEnglish
Headquarters
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Canada
  • Australia
OwnerFuture plc
EditorSam Loveridge
URLgamesradar.com
RegistrationOptional
Launched1999; 25 years ago (1999)

Format and style

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GamesRadar+ publishes numerous articles each day, including official video game news, reviews, previews, and interviews with publishers and developers. One of the site's features was their "Top 7" lists, a weekly countdown detailing negative aspects of video games themselves, the industry and/or culture.[2] Today, they also publish "best games" lists segmented by genre, platform, or theme. These are divided into living lists, for consoles and platforms that are still active, and legacy lists, for consoles and platforms that are no longer a target for commercial game development.[3]

History

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In December 2007, Texas filed a lawsuit against Future US, Future plc's U.S. subsidiary, for violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting data of children under 13 through GamesRadar without parental notice.[4] The lawsuit alleges that the site "failed to include necessary disclosures and obtain parental consent before collecting personal information from children."[5] The owner of the other website settled in March 2008,[6] though the final disposition against Future plc is not public record.[7]

In January 2011, GamesRadar released a freeware app for iOS (via the App Store), with which users could browse their cheats, guides and walkthroughs.[8]

By February 2012, many of the long-standing writers and editors were either laid off or had moved on to other careers, including many recurring hosts and guests of the site's "TalkRadar" podcast, which at the time ended at episode 198.[9] In November 2012, Keith Walker became the new publisher at Future Publishing, and thus GamesRadar, looking to improve "digital growth".[10] By December 2012, the site underwent a drastic new redesign including new layout, interface and regular features along with new staff members and successor to TalkRadar podcast titled "RadioRadar".[11]

In May 2014, it was reported that Future Publishing intended to close the websites of Edge, Computer and Video Games and their other video game publications.[12] In September 2014, GamesRadar partner sites Total Film and SFX were merged into GamesRadar,[13] and the resulting site was renamed GamesRadar+ the following November.[14] In December 2014, it was confirmed that the previously closed Edge and Computer and Video Games sites would also be merged into GamesRadar+.[15]

On 4 February 2016, Daniel Dawkins was announced to have been promoted GamesRadar+'s Global Editor-in-Chief.[16] In 2019 he became Future's Content Director of Games and Film,[17] and was replaced in the role of editor by Sam Loveridge.[18] In May 2019, Rachel Weber was appointed as Managing Editor.[19]

In 2020, the comics website Newsarama became part of GamesRadar+.[20][21] In June 2020, GamesRadar+ began organizing digital showcase Future Games Show.[22][23]

Community

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GamesRadar hosted numerous online message boards and forums from as early as 1998 in its original Future Gamer and then Daily Radar[24] incarnation, including international versions such as GamesRadar.it. Future Publishing's enthusiast video and computer games magazines such as N64 Magazine often featured prevalent advertising for GamesRadar to encourage participation from readers. In 2008, the site moved towards a single login functionality for reader comments on articles and posting on forums, for which the newer US forums were chosen due to Future's strategic shift to garner US readership and compete with sites such as IGN. On 14 August 2008, it was announced that the UK forum would be closed down and merged with the US forums. Moderators of the original UK forums instead launched GRcade,[25] occasionally noted for its own breaking news.[26]

References

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  1. ^ Gibson, Ellie (19 July 2007). "GamesRadar and Cheat Planet readership tops 3.25 million". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 20 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  2. ^ GamesRadar_ US (31 July 2007). "GamesRadar's Top 7 compendium". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 21 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  3. ^ GamesRadar Staff (1 January 2013). "GamesRadar's Best Lists". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 24 June 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  4. ^ Androvich, Mark (6 December 2007). "Texas files lawsuit against Future US". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 6 August 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  5. ^ Vijayan, Jaikumar (7 December 2007). "Texas AG sues two sites for children's privacy violations". Computerworld. Archived from the original on 21 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  6. ^ Mathews, Kristen J. (28 May 2008). "Texas Attorney General Settles One of First State COPPA Enforcement Actions". Proskauer Rose. Archived from the original on 20 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  7. ^ "State Law Approaches to Address Digital Food Marketing to Youth" (PDF). The Public Health Advocacy Institute. December 2012. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 December 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  8. ^ Wilde, Tyler (14 January 2011). "GamesRadar Cheats, Guides and Walkthroughs iPhone app now available! (It's free!)". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 21 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  9. ^ Machuga, Stephen (19 February 2012). "The Slow Bleeding Out of Future's GamesRadar". Front Towards Gamer. Archived from the original on 27 August 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ^ Martin, Matt (15 November 2012). "New publisher for Future's CVG and GamesRadar". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  11. ^ Future US (11 December 2012). "Future US Announces the Launch of the New GamesRadar". EDN. Archived from the original on 20 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  12. ^ Dring, Christopher (29 May 2014). "Future plans 170 UK job cuts as it sells bikes and craft magazines". MCV. Archived from the original on 1 August 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  13. ^ Jarvis, Matthew (30 September 2014). "Future's Total Film, SFX Online and GamesRadar to combine into one site". MCV. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  14. ^ Tong, Sophia; Bradley, Dave (17 November 2014). "Ping from the Radar – A letter from the Editor". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 30 June 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  15. ^ Dring, Christopher (19 December 2014). "Official: Future will close CVG website, news and reviews now coming to GamesRadar+". MCV. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  16. ^ GamesRadar+ (4 February 2016). "Daniel Dawkins promoted to Global Editor in Chief of GamesRadar+". PR Newswire. Archived from the original on 21 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  17. ^ ResponseSource. "Role change for Daniel Dawkins at Future Publishing". ResponseSource. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  18. ^ Loveridge, Sam (11 June 2019). "So, it's finally official. I got promoted to @GamesRadar Editor and couldn't be prouder to be a part of such a wonderful team. Things have been going so well already, and I'm excited to see how far we can take thispic.twitter.com/x0bqHlIQ43". @apacherose3. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  19. ^ ResponseSource. "GamesRadar+ names Rachel Weber as managing editor". ResponseSource. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  20. ^ MacDonald, Heidi (1 June 2020). "Comics news site Newsarama to become part of GamesRadar+". Comics Beat. Archived from the original on 7 March 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  21. ^ Johnston, Rich (30 May 2020). "Newsarama To Move Under GamesRadar Domain URL From Monday". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on 7 March 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  22. ^ Dawkins, Dan; Sam, Loveridge; Oloman, Jordan (4 August 2022). "Future Games Show 2023: Everything you need to know". gamesradar. Archived from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  23. ^ Stanton, Rich (2 March 2023). "The Future Games Show returns March 23, featuring over 50 games". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  24. ^ Daily Radar Forums (2 June 2001) "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2 June 2001. Retrieved 28 August 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  25. ^ GRcade Index Archived 17 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine. GRcade. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  26. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (22 August 2012). "Sony closes WipEout developer Sony Liverpool" Archived 8 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
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