•Chris Kerr, who left his role as senior news editor at Game Utvecklare last month, has launched a new independent trade publication called Vertical Slice.
The games industry website is news-focused and funded by Kerr’s own savings. It launches today with the aim of publishing breaking news stories daily, distinguishing itself from aggregation platforms that rely on AI or click-based revenue models.
Kerr reported on games for 15 years, spending roughly 13 of those on the trade beat and about 11 at Game Utvecklare. He left the publication “at the end of last month,” trading full-time employment for ownership of his own website.
“I feel like I can do my best work outside the confines of a publication that is owned by a globally traded corporation with wildly different commercial interests,” Kerr said. “Often those interests can overlap… there are many positives to being corporate-owned, right? It offers you more security. I had a pension. That was great.”
He added: “But I feel like in order to produce journalism that is as punchy as it can be, properly fearless. You need to potentially go it alone, depending on your circumstances.”
Kerr describes Vertical Slice as “fearless reporting that inspires, informs and interrogates.” The site will not feature guides or reviews, though readers can subscribe to a newsletter summarizing the day’s stories.
Most of the website will be paywalled with no s. Some articles will remain free each week, and the site launches with a library of design documents and pitch decks from developers including OuterSloth and Kitfox Spel at no cost.
“I think readers need to just start picking a lane,” Kerr said. “And it’s like, look at all the AI aggregation. We’re all being subjected to death by a thousand cuts because AI is going for our jobs, people are getting laid off.” He cited a simple premise: “if you enjoy a journalist’s work, pay for it.”
Kerr envisions eventually hiring full-time writers and building a newsroom of five to ten people, though he acknowledged that goal is years away and dependent on the site’s financial success.
“I want to create pathways for new talent,” he said. “I want to build something that’s mine… I want to give those people a voice because ultimately they’re the ones who are making the video games that we all play.”
When asked why he believes Vertical Slice can succeed where other independent publications have not, Kerr pointed to a gap in the trade space.
“I suppose why I believe I can make this work is I don’t see anyone else doing it,” he said. “I know for a fact that millions of people have read my articles over the past few years.” He estimated that even a small fraction of those readers paying would allow him to break even and bring on additional help.
Kerr acknowledged the venture could fail, saying he’d “melt away into the sunset and maybe become a soccer journalist” if it didn’t work out. But he emphasized his concerns about career sustainability in games media.
“How could you do that, in an industry that won’t give you any sort of runway? That’s what I want to offer,” he said. “I know it’s ambitious, but I feel like if it isn’t feasible, then I can’t stay in the industry because I’m not going to put myself through another 10 years of that.”
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