GameDaily BIZ changing names, gets a little grey around the edges

Another fine video game institution has fallen. Well, sorta. Actually, the site’s business section is leaving AOL, working with Hammersuit LLC and moving to a new URL.

According to a message posted today (May 14, 2009) on GameDaily BIZ(see the full message below) subscribers are being asked to head to a different URL with the name IndustryGamers and subscribe to a yet-to-exist newsletter.

The message indicates that the GameDaily business staff will produce content for the new non-AOL owned site while the “the www.gamedaily.com consumer site will continue as it is today.” The new site’s logo includes the slogan, “Your games are our business,” and will launch May 31, 2009.

It is unclear exactly what this will mean to readers but, if the slogan and new name are an indication, it appears the new site continue to focus primarily on the business side of the videogame industry. GameDaily BIZ‘s content is (was) already heavily skewed toward business with a few rumors and the the rare smattering of fan interest feature articles mixed in.

The main GameDaily site, however, skews the polar opposite, focusing on posts that grope for easy traffic (Top posts at the time this was written: “Bad Things About Great Games” – Think killing zombies with a sexy partner is all fun and games? Think again”; “Spore Hero Saves the World” and Horniest Dudes in Video Games“)

The inclusion of the term “gamers” in the new site’s name might imply that the tone of the new site will be a little less formal, although the new logo is basic, black text with solid lines on a grey background, exuding the staunch and proud spirit of ye olde colorless newspapers.

Here’s the complete message from AOL’s Greg Mills posted on GameDaily:

GameDaily BIZ Becoming IndustryGamers

Please read this very important announcement regarding the future of this fine publication you’re reading right now.

by Greg Mills on Thursday, May 14, 2009
SITE NEWS: GameDaily BIZ Becoming IndustryGamers

My name is Greg Mills and I oversee the AOL Games business including GameDaily BIZ. Each year, our team evaluates our overall strategy and direction. Earlier this year, I made the decision to focus all of our efforts on the consumer side of our GameDaily video game editorial business. GameDaily BIZ has always been our business to business play in the video game industry. On May 31st, we will no longer offer the GameDaily BIZ newsletter. For clarification, the www.gamedaily.com consumer site will continue as it is today.

The good news is that the newsletter will continue with the same great writers at IndustryGamers, which is being produced by James Brightman in partnership with Hammersuit LLC. I have had the pleasure to work with James Brightman and David Radd for many years. I have read and subscribed to GameDaily BIZ for many years including those years before AOL acquired GameDaily. I know the quality of the industry newsletter will continue to be high and I plan to continue to subscribe to their new newsletter which will start on June 1st. In order to receive their newsletter, one has to sign up for it at this link: http://industrygamers.com.

Please note that current GameDaily BIZ subscribers will not automatically be signed up to their new newsletter due to our privacy policy. Their newsletter is not owned or operated by AOL. Thus, if you want to receive their new newsletter, you will need to sign up at the link above. Thank you for your business over the years as we greatly appreciate your support.

- Greg E. Mills

Read [GameDaily] Site [IndustryGamers]