The Official Xbox Magazine has been around since the launch of Microsoft’s original home console. Nearly two decades later, the magazine has closed.
OXM is one of six magazines that have folded under the banner of the Future media company. All of the staff has been laid off, according to a report from Eurogamer.
Future also owns several other gaming magazines and websites, including PC Gamer, GamesRadar, Edge Magazine, and Retro Gamer. Those properties are unaffected at this point.
“Like many organizations right now, we find ourselves being forced into making difficult decisions,” Future said in a statement. “We have a duty of care to all our staff during this time, and our focus is on protecting the business for them and for our customers.”
The media company says that it has “introduced a raft of measures” to minimize layoffs. It adds the company is “well placed with significant digital audiences and diversified revenues to continue delivering on our customers’ changing needs at this time.”
Gaming publications have been hit hard in recent years, especially print. Just last year, Game Informer lost nearly half of its editorial staff to job cuts.
It’s not just print, either. With sites like 1UP gone, I wondered aloud in an editorial last year: Is there a future for video game websites? With ad revenue falling and a serious recession looming, the prospect that more publications might fold is a distinct possibility.
We wish the best to our friends at Official Xbox Magazine as they go through this tough time.
