Turn it around. Don’t tear it down.
Site turnarounds, launches, media training and advisory for games media, from the founder of Kotaku and co-founder of Polygon.
Brian Crecente has founded or led four games newsrooms: Kotaku, Polygon, Rolling Stone’s games coverage and Variety’s.
Now he works inside yours: finding what’s broken, fixing it alongside your team, and leaving it stronger than he found it.
Every engagement is led by Crecente personally.
Site Turnaround
For games sites losing traffic, direction or staff. Two phases, so you see the diagnosis before you commit to the fix.
Diagnostic
A full audit of traffic, coverage, staffing, workflow, monetization and voice. You get a written diagnosis, a prioritized 90-day plan and a debrief with leadership.
$15,000
Embedded turnaround
Crecente works inside your team as interim editorial lead: restructuring desks, setting standards and targets, reshaping coverage, advising on hiring and training your staff.
Scoped to your site
Sign on for the turnaround within 30 days of your diagnostic and half its fee is credited back.
Newsroom Launch
Launching a games site you’ll staff yourself. We plan the editorial side: positioning, coverage strategy, desk structure, a hiring plan, a style guide and a launch plan, over eight to ten weeks. Your developers build the site; we make sure the newsroom is ready for it.
Scoped to your launch
Media Training
For developers and executives ahead of a launch, press tour, show or crisis. Trained by the person who ran the newsrooms that will be interviewing them.
From $3,500
Advisory
An experienced second opinion, on call. A monthly retainer for your leadership team, or sessions by the hour when a decision can’t wait.
Retainer or hourly
How a turnaround works
- 01 Diagnostic
- 02 90-day plan
- 03 Embedded turnaround
- 04 Handoff and check-ins
Work is remote with on-site visits as needed. Engagements run under NDA, and client lists stay private.