Rock Paper Shotgun

History

Rock Paper Shotgun was founded by Kieron Gillen, Jim Rossignol, Alec Meer and John Walker in 2007. Gillen announced that he would no longer be involved in posting the day-to-day content of Rock Paper Shotgun in 2010, focusing more on his work with Marvel Comics. Rossignol founded his own game studio, Big Robot, in 2010. Meer and Walker left in 2019.

In June 2010, Rock Paper Shotgun began an advertising partnership with the Eurogamer Network. Also in the year, Rock Paper Shotgun partnered with Eurogamer to create Rezzed, a PC and indie games show spun off from the Eurogamer Expo. In May 2017, Gamer Network acquired the site outright. A year later, website has partnered again with EGX to launch a new game jam, designed to showcase and promote a standout indie game developer or team.

The Gamer Network was acquired by ReedPOP in 2018, making the site a subsidiary of RELX Group. In May 2024, IGN Entertainment acquired the Gamer Network, making Rock Paper Shotgun a subsidiary of Ziff Davis.

Controversies and reception

On 5 January 2011, Game Informer editor-in-chief Andrew Reiner issued legal threats against Rock Paper Shotgun and its readers for posting exclusive Game Informer images from the Tomb Raider reboot. Rock Paper Shotgun later deleted the images the same day. One month later, the game Bulletstorm came under scrutiny by Fox News. These claims were largely ridiculed among gaming websites, including Rock Paper Shotgun, who ran a series of articles discrediting the reports by Fox News. The articles analysed Carole Lieberman's claims and found only one of eight sources she provided had anything to do with the subject at hand. Fox News acknowledged that they had been contacted by Rock Paper Shotgun and responded to their claims on 20 February 2011 through another article, stating that the game still remained a threat to children.

It won the best Games blog accolade at the 2011 Games Media Awards.

References

References

1. (2020-02-14). "GMA 2011 FINALISTS: Games Blog". MCV.
2. MCV Staff. (30 September 2010). "Gillen leaves the games industry".
3. (27 September 2010). "Big Robot Lives Again". Big Robot.
4. (9 April 2019). "Thank you and goodbye, Alec Meer".
5. (18 April 2019). "Bye-bye RPS, thanks for having me".
6. Martin, Matt. (June 1, 2010). "Eurogamer strikes Rock, Paper, Shotgun partnership". [[GamesIndustry.biz]].
7. Bramwell, Tom. (2 July 2012). "Rock, Paper, Shotgun doing "panel game quiz show thing" at Rezzed". [[Eurogamer]].
8. Phillips, Tom. (12 June 2012). "Eurogamer announces Rezzed: The PC and Indie Games Show". [[Eurogamer]].
9. "Gamer Network 2025 Company Profile: Valuation, Investors, Acquisition {{!}} PitchBook".
10. Watson, Paul. (7 August 2018). "EGX and Rock Paper Shotgun host game jam". [[Eurogamer]].
11. Frank, Allegra. (February 26, 2018). "PAX organizer acquires USgamer, Eurogamer and more". [[Polygon (website).
12. Webster, Andrew. (May 21, 2024). "IGN scoops up Eurogamer, Rock Paper Shotgun, and more". [[The Verge]].
13. IGN Staff. (May 21, 2024). "IGN Entertainment Acquires Eurogamer, GI, VG247, Rock Paper Shotgun, and More". [[IGN]].
14. Garratt, Patrick. (5 January 2011). "Game Informer threatens RPS with legal action over Tomb Raider images". [[Gamer Network.
15. Stuart, Keith. (16 February 2011). "Bulletstorm, Fox News and the controversy that shouldn't have been". [[The Guardian]].
16. bitmob. (17 February 2011). "Kill the messenger: Why Fox News is the enemy, not its sources". [[VentureBeat]].
17. Plunkett, Luke. (10 February 2011). "How FOX News Gets Video Games So Wrong". [[Kotaku]].
18. Brandon, John. (20 February 2011). "Bulletstorm: Censored in Germany, Coming to America". [[Fox News Network]].
19. MCV Staff. (27 October 2011). "GMA 2011: Rock, Paper, Shotgun wins best blog prize".