Edge Online's entire editorial outfit has quit Future, with a new US-facing simple-format B2B blog launch emerging from members of the team.

GameBizBlog.com launches today, headed up by former Edge Online EIC Colin Campbell. Former UK editor Rob Crossley is also contributing to the blog along with one-time Forbes journo Mary Jane Irwin.

Edge Online associate editor Kris Graft has also quit and is joining Think Services to organize its Independent Games Festival.

GameBizBlog's aim is to comment on the culture of the U.S. and international game industry and to offer opinion on a daily basis.

Both Campbell and Crossley have joined MCV and Develop's publisher Intent Media; the former as head of US operations and the latter as online editor for Develop.

Campbell explained: "Intent has some big plans for the U.S. market which we'll be rolling in the months ahead. In the meantime, I want to maintain dialogue with readers via GameBizBlog, which is a very simple format platform for the writers' ideas and opinions about the game industry.

"I love the fact that anyone can communicate with audiences via easy-to-produce blogs. But you'll be seeing a lot more in the months ahead."

Meanwhile, Future Publishing has appointed two new editors to continue Edge Online's development.

As part of the site's closer integration with Edge magazine, Alex Wiltshire, previously the magazine's deputy editor, has been made Edge Online's editor.

Tom Ivan, a regular contributor to Edge Online and its predecessor, Next-Gen.biz, has taken the role of news editor.

Wiltshire began his journalism career as a member of the launch editorial team of icon, the UK's leading design and architecture magazines. He also worked as a web editor for Channel 4 before joining Edge in 2007.

Ivan joined Next-Gen.biz as contributing editor on its launch, remaining with the team during its transition to Edge Online until last autumn, when he joined ComputerAndVideogames.com as staff writer.