LGC 2014: Ziff Davis predicts more video game websites to close

The number of video games websites will continue to dwindle, predicts IGN owner Ziff Davis.

The firm’s international boss Geoff Inns told attendees at London Games Conference today that the demands on online media is becoming expensive, and requires media owners to have deep pockets and global scale.

Inns says that there are two primary demands from advertisers on online media firms. They either need programatic advertising, which is automated and targets specific users, and this requires technology and technical staff.

The other demand is integrated campaigns that includes bespoke, creative content, created by editorial teams.

This is expensive. You need to hire people to do this,” said Inns. On the integrated side, no-one is over-staffed editorially. All of this takes investment. You have to have pockets to do this. What if you don’t have global scale, what if you don’t have deep pockets?

I think we will see more games businesses drop out over the next two to three years.”