The gaming site sponsored by Walmart lays off its editorial staff:

Restart, the new games media website launched in late 2024 and backed by Walmart, has axed its entire editorial team, as reported by Brandy Berthelson, the former editor-in-chief, on Friday. The news was corroborated by other staff members who also posted about their layoffs.

The site is operated by Moonrock, a content marketing agency, with its editorial mission page stating it’s “powered” by Walmart. This partnership means that whenever a game is mentioned on Restart, purchase links are provided to Walmart using a partner tracking code. However, the link generates just 0% revenue for Restart if you decide to buy the product—essentially a free endorsement deal for Walmart.

So, what went wrong? Did Walmart’s wallet suddenly shrink, or was the editorial vision too highbrow for pixel-perfect pricing models? Perhaps the staff was more “review-ready” than “sale-ready,” with critiques sharper than Walmart’s discount tags. The assumption that linking games to Walmart purchases would sustain the site seems plausible, but does it really capture the essence of gaming culture?

With editorial teams often seen as the heart of any media outlet, laying them off suggests a shift from quality content to sheer convenience—like trading in a gourmet meal for fast food. Does this mean Walmart’s influence will now dominate every review, or will Restart pivot to more brand-savvy angles? The future looks promisingly retail-fied, but at what cost to gaming depth?