Walmart-backed gaming site cuts its editorial team.

Restart, a gaming media platform that debuted in late 2024, has reportedly let go of its entire editorial team, as shared by Brandy Berthelson, the former editor-in-chief, in a recent post. Other team members have also confirmed their layoffs.

The site is managed by Moonrock, a content marketing agency, and its editorial mission page indicates a partnership with Walmart. This page explains Walmart’s involvement:
> When we mention a game, we’ll provide purchase links that will take you to Walmart using a partner tracking code. This link provides us with 0% of the sale if you decide to buy the product, but it does help Walmart see exactly how customers arrived at the product. Restart claimed to operate as an “independent site,” asserting that Walmart “doesn’t influence our editorial direction.”

In essence, Restart aimed to be Walmart’s version of a gaming magazine similar to Game Informer, which was previously owned by GameStop. Notably, GameStop had shut down Game Informer just months before Restart’s launch, although it has since been revived under new management.

Berthelson has stated that she is “not able” to discuss the specifics surrounding the layoffs. One former employee mentioned signing a severance agreement with Moonrock.

As of now, Restart is still accessible online, but it remains uncertain whether Walmart and Moonrock will continue to run the site after these layoffs, and if they do, what the future will hold. Requests for comments from both Walmart and Moonrock have gone unanswered.