Type of site Video game website Website www.gamesradar.com Commercial Yes | Owner Future Publishing Alexa rank 6,318 (January 2017) Registration Optional (free) | |
GamesRadar+ is an entertainment website primarily featuring video game related news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. Since November 2014 the site has also included a TV, films and sci-fi section, bringing in content from Future's entertainment brands Total Film and SFX. It is owned and operated in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future plc (including Future US).
Contents
Format and style
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. They actually mark a negative score in almost everything. Now, they are better known for lists of baddest depth 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.
History
The site launched a free iPhone app in January 2011, allowing users to browse their cheats and game guides.
In 2007 the State of Texas filed a lawsuit against GamerRadar's parent company Future plc and another site owner for violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. The lawsuit alleges that the site "failed to include necessary disclosures and obtain parental consent before collecting personal information from children." The owner of the other websited settled in March 2008, though the final disposition against Future plc is not public record.
By Early 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 in February that same year. In November 2012 Keith Walker became the new publisher at Future and thus GamesRadar, looking to improve "digital growth". 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". Many of the original members of TalkRadar went on to produce the Laser Time podcast network, including appearances with current GamesRadar employees.
In May 2014 it was reported that Future intended to close the websites of Edge, Computer and Video Games and their other videogame publications. In December 2014, it was confirmed that the C&VG website would close and its content would instead be published at GamesRadar, and in January 2015, it was announced that the same would happen to the Edge website.