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Video Games Chronicle

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Video Games Chronicle
Logo used since 2019[1]
Home page in December 2023
Type of site
Gaming website
Available inEnglish
Owner1981 Media
EditorAndy Robinson
URLvideogameschronicle.com
CommercialYes
Launched2 May 2019; 5 years ago (2019-05-02)
Current statusActive

Video Games Chronicle (VGC) is a British entertainment website covering video games published independently by 1981 Media. Led by editor-in-chief Andy Robinson, the team consists largely of former Computer and Video Games staff. Launched in May 2019 in partnership with Gamer Network, VGC sought to blend professional and mainstream publications to complement the works of other video game websites. The website received five million monthly readers and seven million page views as of December 2020, and has been twice nominated for Media Brand of the Year at the MCV/Develop Awards.

History

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The gaming website Video Games Chronicle (VGC) was launched on 2 May 2019,[1] led by former staff of Computer and Video Games (CVG), including editor-in-chief Andy Robinson, news editor Tom Ivan, and editorial support from Paul Davies, Tim Ingham, and Chris Scullion. Additional content is written by freelance writers.[2][3] The website is published independently through 1981 Media Ltd, while Gamer Network manages advertising and sales.[2][4] The team sought to launch a website immediately after CVG's closure in 2015, but each joined different teams; Robinson worked at Playtonic Games but "could never totally ignore the itch" to return to journalism.[2] The team found they were all available in early 2019 and created a business plan; Robinson felt it was an appropriate time in the console generation for a new website.[2]

Robinson sought for VGC to blend industry publications like GamesIndustry.biz and "mainstream sites", covering subjects most relevant to consumers to complement the work of websites such as Eurogamer, GamesIndustry.biz, and Kotaku.[2] The website was built by 44 Bytes and run by Kornel Lambert and Andrew Taylor.[2][5] In April 2020, the site received 1.24 million individual readers, generating 1.7 million page views;[6] this increased to 5 million readers and 7 million page views in December, an annual increase of more than 400%.[7] Scullion was appointed VGC's part-time features editor in December 2020.[7] VGC expanded into video content with daily news show VGC Source from April 2020,[6] followed by the chat show VGC Off the Record from July.[8] In February 2023, VGC partnered with Stak to launch a weekly podcast, hosted by VGC's Jordan Middler, Robinson, and Scullion, and Stak's Pete Donaldson, alongside industry guests.[9]

VGC was the first to report on Japan Studio's reorganisation in February 2021,[10][11][12] E3 2021's in-person cancellation in March,[13][14][15] and Twitch's data breach in October.[16][17][18] In April, Robinson and VGC's Twitter accounts were temporarily locked after Activision submitted takedowns using the Digital Millennium Copyright Act; VGC had posted stories about upcoming maps for Call of Duty: Warzone.[19][20] IGN reported that the leaks had been covered legitimately and Robinson and VGC's tweets had not contained any copyrighted material.[20] Robinson spoke with Activision and felt the conflict had been resolved.[20][21] Similar takedowns had been issued the preceding August against several outlets, including VGC, who reported on leaks related to Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War after the information had been officially announced.[19] Kotaku's Ian Walker said Activision's actions only confirmed the leak, describing it as an example of the Streisand effect.[21]

VGC was nominated for Media Brand of the Year at the MCV/Develop Awards in 2022 and 2023.[22][23] The site partnered with the Italian Interactive Digital Entertainment Association to stream the Italian Video Game Awards [it] to English-speaking audiences in 2022, receiving 92,000 live viewers;[24][25] the partnership continued in 2023.[26]

References

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  1. ^ a b Robinson, Andy (2 May 2019). "Welcome to VGC: A message from the editor". Video Games Chronicle. 1981 Media. Archived from the original on 4 May 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Dring, Christopher (4 April 2019). "CVG team reunite for new games media website". GamesIndustry.biz. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  3. ^ Dealessandri, Marie (5 April 2019). "CVG veterans form games news website Video Games Chronicle". MCV/Develop. Biz Media. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  4. ^ Robinson, Andy (16 April 2020). "Support VGC by completing the Gamer Network community survey". Video Games Chronicle. 1981 Media. Archived from the original on 29 April 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Innovative web design". 44 Bytes. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  6. ^ a b Robinson, Andy (29 April 2020). "VGC announces strong first-year traffic and video expansion". Video Games Chronicle. 1981 Media. Archived from the original on 29 April 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  7. ^ a b Robinson, Andy (1 December 2020). "VGC's audience is up 400% YoY with 5 million monthly readers". Video Games Chronicle. 1981 Media. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  8. ^ Robinson, Andy (17 July 2020). "Watch the first episode of VGC Off The Record". Video Games Chronicle. 1981 Media. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  9. ^ Robinson, Andy (21 February 2023). "VGC is partnering with Stak for a weekly video game news podcast". Video Games Chronicle. 1981 Media. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  10. ^ Wallace, Chris (26 February 2021). "Sony is shutting down development at Japan Studio". MCV/Develop. Biz Media. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  11. ^ Sinclair, Brendan (26 February 2021). "Sony shutting down Japan Studio development". GamesIndustry.biz. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 2 August 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  12. ^ Hester, Blake (25 February 2021). "Report: Sony Is Scaling Back Its Japan Studio, Letting Go Of Majority Of Staff". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  13. ^ Wallace, Chris (1 March 2021). "E3 2021's physical event is reportedly cancelled". MCV/Develop. Biz Media. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  14. ^ Bankhurst, Adam (28 February 2021). "E3 2021's Live Event Has Been Cancelled According to LA City Documents". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 28 February 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  15. ^ Lyles, Taylor (9 February 2021). "E3 2021 may be digital as ESA says it's 'transforming' the gaming showcase". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  16. ^ Paul, Kari (7 October 2021). "Twitch hack: data breach exposes sensitive information". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  17. ^ Warren, Tom (6 October 2021). "Twitch source code and creator payouts part of massive leak". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  18. ^ Cohen, David (6 October 2021). "Twitch Confirms Major Breach". Adweek. Shamrock Holdings. Archived from the original on 7 October 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  19. ^ a b Sinclair, Brendan (1 April 2021). "Activision DMCAs news outlet for reporting Call of Duty leak". GamesIndustry.biz. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 5 September 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  20. ^ a b c Skrebels, Joe; Oloman, Jordan (1 April 2021). "Activision Issues DMCA Takedowns to Outlet Covering Call of Duty Leaks". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 1 April 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  21. ^ a b Walker, Ian (1 April 2021). "Oops, Activision Forgot About The Streisand Effect". Kotaku. G/O Media. Archived from the original on 1 April 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  22. ^ Wallace, Chris (3 May 2022). "Announcing the winners of the 2022 MCV/DEVELOP Awards!". MCV/Develop. Biz Media. Archived from the original on 3 May 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  23. ^ Pavey, Vince (4 April 2023). "Here are the finalists for the 2023 MCV/DEVELOP Awards!". MCV/Develop. Biz Media. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  24. ^ Robinson, Andy (29 June 2022). "VGC is partnering with the Italian Video Game Awards next month". Video Games Chronicle. 1981 Media. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  25. ^ Pavey, Vince (25 July 2022). "IIDEA pleased with success of First Playable event". MCV/Develop. Biz Media. Archived from the original on 5 August 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  26. ^ Dealessandri, Marie (23 June 2023). "IIDEA unveils Italian Video Game Awards 2023 nominees". GamesIndustry.biz. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 23 June 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
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