Former IGN hosts Brian Altano, Seth Macy and Max Scoville launch independent podcast network X Button
The three hosts were laid off or departed IGN last month as the site retreats from its gaming podcasts.
Former IGN hosts Brian Altano, Seth Macy and Max Scoville launched an independent gaming podcast network called X Button on Patreon after being laid off or departing the site last month. The group announced the venture following IGN's latest wave of cuts and strategy shift away from podcasts.
X Button currently features two shows: a general gaming podcast also called X Button, and Ninfriendo 64, which focuses on Nintendo content. The hosts previously worked on IGN's Beyond! PlayStation show and NVC Nintendo podcast, which have both been affected by the restructuring.
IGN's podcast lineup has been significantly reduced, with Beyond! currently on hiatus and NVC no longer publishing weekly episodes. Unlocked, the Xbox-themed podcast, has not published a new episode since October 1. Game Scoop will be the only show that continues to publish regularly.
Staff were told by site leadership that the other shows were not generating enough revenue to justify weekly resources, according to a source familiar with the discussions. The move represents a retreat from podcasts for one of the medium's earliest adopters, even as other media companies like The Ringer and Vox Media Podcast Network expand their conversational video content.
Source: kotaku.com
