Walmart-sponsored gaming site Restart lays off its entire editorial staff
Restart, a gaming media website launched in late 2024 and sponsored by Walmart, has laid off its entire editorial team according to its former editor-in-chief.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Restart, a gaming site sponsored by Walmart, has laid off its entire editorial team.
- The site is operated by content marketing agency Moonrock.
- Former editor-in-chief Brandy Berthelson confirmed the layoffs in a Friday post.
Restart, a gaming media website that was launched in late 2024 with sponsorship from retail giant Walmart, has laid off its entire editorial team. The news was shared in a Friday post by Brandy Berthelson, who served as the site's former editor-in-chief, while other staff members have also taken to social media to confirm their layoffs.
The website is operated by Moonrock, a content marketing agency, although its editorial mission page previously stated that it was powered by Walmart. That same page outlined Walmart's involvement by explaining that product mentions would include purchase links utilizing a partner tracking code, which yielded 0 percent of sales for the site but allowed Walmart to track how customers arrived at the products.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
According to the site's mission page, Restart operated as an independent entity and maintained that Walmart did not influence its editorial direction. Conceptually, the site served as Walmart's equivalent to publications like Game Informer, which was formerly owned by GameStop before being shut down just months prior to Restart's launch, though Game Informer has since been revived under new ownership.
"not able" to discuss details of the layoffs
Brandy Berthelson
Berthelson stated that she is not able to discuss the specifics regarding the layoffs. Meanwhile, a staff member who was laid off confirmed to The Verge that they had signed a severance agreement with Moonrock.
The sudden dismissal of the entire staff at Restart highlights the ongoing financial and structural volatility within corporate-backed niche media outlets. Balancing a major corporate sponsor's ecosystem with editorial independence remains a delicate challenge in modern digital publishing.
As of the time of reporting, the Restart website remains online. It remains unclear whether Walmart and Moonrock intend to continue operating the site following the layoffs, and neither organization immediately responded to requests for comment.
Source: The Verge
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