Gaming site Kotaku has lost it's Editor-In-Chief Jen Glennon after only 5 months into the role after G/O Media tells staff to "deprioritize" news and, according to a staffer, concentrate on game guides.
In a letter from the Editor, Glennon wrote:
"I firmly believe that the decision to 'invert' Kotaku's editorial strategy to deprioritize news in favor of guides is fundamentally misguided given the current infrastructure of the site".
"[it is also] directly contradicted by months of traffic data, and shows an astonishing disregard for the livelihoods of the remaining writers and editors who work here."
The site has been facing mounting challenges over the last few years. In September 2020, the deal with Future Publishing to license the Kotaku brand for their independent UK gaming site was allowed to lapse, but not before the poor quality content had damaged Kotaku's reputation. Last August, Glennon's predecessor Patricia Hernandez, was fired after a disagreement with management.
Reaction on social media has been largely unsympathetic, especially with the current media storm surrounding DEI consultancy firm Sweet Baby Inc, for which Kotaku ran an article in defence of the firm which was largely perceived to be, at best, dishonest. This incident is now being referred to as Gamergate 2.0.
It's possible that G/O Management is concerned with more legal hassles after their sports news website, Deadspin, was sold following a story written by Carron J Philips which used photographs of a 9 year old fan in face paint and wearing a headdress claiming it was an act of racism. The child was in fact Native American and wearing the teams colours, red and black. Following the story and the ensuing harassment targeted toward the family as a result of the misleading article, the family took legal action against the publication.
With advertising rates plummeting and Kotaku reduced to a reported 7 writers, it seems unlikely that site will continue in the long term, at least while owned by G/O Media.
