Gameworld Network shuts down for good (updated)

I just got word that videogame news and review site Gameworld Network (aka GWN) is shutting down for good . The site’s URL, GWN.com, still shows a FileFactory Games logo with video game content. We assume that will soon disappear and completely forward to the FileFactory home page very soon. UPDATE: The site will remain live as an archive but it will not be updated with any new content.

GWN was previously melded into FileFactory Games mid September 2008 due to the discontinuation of advertising. The move was likely intended to increase the company’s overall traffic and keep GWN alive with the addition of the FileFactory name (Filefactory’s gets approx. 300,000 unique visitors per day versus GWN’s 20,000). FileFactory is a file hosting service that allows free hosting of up to 300 MB for 90 days.

Here’s the email that was sent to GWN staff writers:

Dear GWN staff,

It is with regret that I inform you that GWN.com will no longer continue to be actively updated by company staff. Due to unfavourable advertising market conditions, it is no longer cost effective to keep running the site. In addition, traffic has been steadily declining over the years, due to the reduction in the number of game related downloads and demos being released. At the same time competition has increased over time, with the growth of the major sites like IGN and GameSpot and the boom in game related blogs.

As you know for a long time my company has concentrated on FileFactory, which has seen tremendous growth and my focus and time has been spent on that, which is why I have not been involved with GWN for some time.

I would like to thank you all for the contributions you have made, some of you for many years. I’d also like to thank Richard [Manley] for all his hard work over the years, recruiting and training writers and developing the site. The site will remain online indefinitely as an archive and the message boards will also remain open.

Kind regards,
Holt Meyers

Gameworld Network founder

Sad to see you go, GWN. Let’s hope this isn’t a sign of the times for similar sites.

Site [GWN] Site [FileFactory]