Gamasutra rebrands as Game Developer

Gamasutra has announced that it has rebranded, moving on to a less sexual pun of a title, Game Developer.

Former editor in chief Kris Graft announced the rebrand in a post on the site, explaining that the Gamasutra name had been in conflict with the site’s content.

“Even with Gamasutra’s reputation and editorial vision, the name was always cringey, and alienated people outside or adjacent to the game industry. The name was (and is) typically met with a “what’d you say?” or impressive side-eye. I don’t blame people who reacted that way, because as much pride as I have working on Gamasutra, I’ve felt the same way. I and the people who work on the site have for a long time.

“And the stories of sheer cringe that I’ve experienced or heard have made me laugh, but equally made me shudder: A developer having to cite Gamasutra in front of government representatives to obtain funding; a teacher awkwardly telling new design students to check out this article on Gamasutra; a game industry reporter spelling out Gamasutra for an inquisitive Indian-American middle-schooler, pencil and notepad in hand. (That last example was of me.) On a more serious note, reporting on rampant industry sexism when our brand clings to a late-90s “LOL SEX” connotation is beyond the pale.

“Maybe this all doesn’t sound so bad here, but trust me, after years of cringe and awkwardness you realize just how overdue we are for a name change, and judging by Twitter responses from game devs, you’re all ready for the change too.”

Beyond just eliminating the cringe, the new name also brings back that of Game Developer magazine, a sister publication that stopped running in 2013.

The rebrand has also seen a changeup in the site’s staff. With Graft now as publisher, Alissa McAloon has stepped in as editor-in-chief, with Bryant Francis becoming the site’s senior editor. Chris Kerr meanwhile is now a full time news editor, and the team may be set to welcome a new member soon.

The shift over to Game Developer is set to take place on Thursday, August 26th.