Game Developer veteran Chris Kerr launches Vertical Slice, a games publication "giving workers a voice and holding power to account"
Veteran games journalist Chris Kerr has launched Vertical Slice, a subscription-funded publication offering independent, critical reporting for industry professionals, with free access until November 2nd.
Chris Kerr, a former senior editor at Game Developer, has launched Vertical Slice, a new subscription-funded publication aimed at delivering incisive reporting for video game industry professionals. The outlet will scrutinize the industry with editorial independence, free from commercial conflicts. It will operate without advertising, except for sponsorship of its design document repository, and will rely entirely on reader subscriptions for revenue. Kerr emphasized the publication’s commitment to uncompromising honesty and holding power to account.
Vertical Slice will include news, features, and an archive called The Repository, which will house pitch and design documents for developers. Initially, the site will be free to read until November 2nd, after which a paywall will be introduced. Free users will still access files in The Repository and select articles, but most content will require a subscription. Subscription pricing starts at £7.45 per month, with Kerr aiming to reinvest all revenue back into the publication once operational costs are covered.
Kerr left Game Developer in September alongside other contributors and the editor-in-chief, citing the need for editorial independence as a core value. Vertical Slice will focus on amplifying workers’ voices, investigating pressing industry issues, and providing long-form journalism. Kerr has commissioned freelance contributions, including from former Polygon reporter Nicole Carpenter, and plans to expand the editorial team once sustainability is achieved.
The publication will not carry traditional advertising but will accept sponsorships for The Repository, managed by a third-party sales agency to maintain separation from editorial operations. Kerr highlighted the growing recognition among independent outlets, such as Aftermath and People Make Games, of the need for high-quality, paid journalism in the games industry. He stressed that meaningful journalism requires significant labor and should not be treated as a free commodity.