I knew this post was going to be up for quite some time, but that doesn’t make it any easier to write. After over 16 years, TouchArcade is closing its doors and ceasing operations. There will be additional posts here and there over the next few weeks as we try to fulfill our previously agreed upon obligations, and we’re also working on a proper farewell, but for now, day-to-day operations are on hold. The reason we’re closing our doors probably won’t surprise you: it’s money.
Many of you who have been following TouchArcade for a long time will know that we have struggled financially over the years. To be honest, it is a miracle that we have survived this long. The truth is that websites like ours simply do not make money anymore. We have rejected the self-destructive, blatantly explicit advertising, outrageous clickbait headlines, and ethically questionable sponsorships. Unfortunately, these are the types of things that still make money on the Internet today.
There are many other reasons why we got to this point, but I don’t want to talk about them all right now. TouchArcade has been an institution to millions of people for the past 16 years, and I’ve been a full-time employee for the past 14+ years. That’s a third of my life. In many ways, it’s like one of my children, and it’s very hard to say goodbye to it. I’d rather focus on all the good times we had together than dwell on things that can’t be changed.
Also, as a man with a wife, two young children, a mortgage, and all the other fun adult stuff, this is the end of my livelihood, and it also goes for the other two guys who were the heart of TouchArcade, Shaun Musgrave and Mikhail Madnani, even though they are technically “freelancers”. Which brings me to my next point…
Hire us!
The job market is not good everywhere, and finding a new job is especially difficult in the gaming industry. If you are reading this and need a very capable gaming industry veteran like us, please contact us.
Jared Nelson – It’s me! Of course, I have 14+ years of experience working at TouchArcade during the height of the mobile gaming boom. I’ve done just about everything: writing, editing, managing staff, traveling to conventions, etc. Prior to TouchArcade, I had a very diverse background, including management roles, so I think I have a very versatile skill set. You can reach me via LinkedIn or by email at jared(at)toucharcade(dot)com.
Shawn Musgrave – Shaun has been with TouchArcade for over 11 years, but has been in professional gaming media for over 25 years overall. He is one of the most talented writers I’ve ever met, and when we need reviews for big, important games on very tight deadlines, Shaun has always been reliable. He also uses his vast, almost uncanny knowledge of video game history to find interesting angles on games that only he can find. Shaun lives in Japan and is fluent in both Japanese and English, making him a great candidate for localization work. You can contact him at muzkind(at)hotmail(dot)com.
Mikhail Madnani – Mikhail has been a workhorse of our staff for over 7 years at TouchArcade. Without his contributions, most of what you see on a daily basis, our website would not have lasted this long. Not only is he an expert at finding interesting news stories and publishing them at the right time, but he also provides great features like in-depth interviews and multi-platform reviews. His coffee-filled header image is legendary. If you need someone who can reliably and consistently publish video game-related content, I highly recommend Mikhail. Reach him at hello(at)failgunner(dot)com.
So what happens now?
If there’s any silver lining to all of this, it’s that all of the content published on TouchArcade will remain online and accessible to everyone for the foreseeable future. That’s not to mention the 33,000+ articles published, including over 4,000 game reviews, as well as all of the Best Of content and Game of the Year picks we produce each year. Hopefully, these will all live on for reference purposes into the future, and we can look back and see how drastically the mobile gaming landscape has changed over the past decade and a half.
We also want to continue our podcast, The TouchArcade Show, which very recently celebrated its 600th(!) episode. We have had a few co-hosts come and go over the course of the podcast (thank you Brand and Mike!), but Eli Hodapp and I have been a constant presence on the show since the beginning, and it’s crazy to think that we’ve both spent the last 13+ years putting out an hour-long podcast every week (almost).
In this regard, you might be wondering about our Patreon. Our Patreon support has been the biggest contributor to TouchArcade’s continued existence since we launched in June 2015. That’s almost 10 years ago. Our idea is to channel Patreon contributions into continuing the podcast, and occasionally posting staff-written posts or special articles here. Maybe we’ll do a random “SwitchArcade” or a review of a particularly notable mobile game release. Maybe we’ll even throw in a Game of the Year? It’s just a sliver of an idea right now, but it would be awesome if TouchArcade could continue to survive in even a small way.
In any case, I would change the wording on Patreon to clearly state that I am no longer supporting the website, and if people choose to stop donating, that is completely understandable. If people are giving us money every month, I want to be absolutely transparent about where it goes. Anyway, expect more news about this in the coming weeks, and at the very least, keep following along as a free Patreon member to stay up to date. Also, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me at tips(at)toucharcade(dot)com or leave a comment below.
Well, I guess that’s about it. I speak on behalf of everyone who has contributed to running TouchArcade over the past 16 years. From our co-founders Arnold Kim and Blake Patterson, to our first full-time hire and our next editor-in-chief Eli Hodapp, to the dozens of other writers and freelancers who have helped make TouchArcade what it is today, we sincerely thank you for reading our site, listening to our podcasts, and attending our events. It’s been a pleasure to have such a wonderful audience who appreciates what we do, and we’re forever grateful for the time we’ve had together.
