1UP.com

''1Up.com'' was an American entertainment website that focused on video games. Launched in 2003, ''1Up.com'' provided its own original features, news stories, game reviews, and video interviews, and also featured comprehensive PC-focused content. Like a print magazine, ''1Up.com'' also hosted special week-long online cover stories that presented each day a new in-depth feature story, interview with the developers, game screenshot gallery, game video footage, and video of the game studio and creators. On February 21, 2013, Ziff Davis announced it would be winding down the site, along with sister sites GameSpy and UGO.com.

Network

''1Up Network'' was a collection of podcasts hosted by ''1Up.com'' dealing with various aspects of gaming. Most of the shows, like ''4 Guys 1Up'', were about games and general gaming culture. Others were more specific, such as ''The Sports Game Guy's Sports Anomaly'', which focused on sports games. The network also featured ''Retronauts'', an audio retrospective series that chronicled various retro games and game series. The network had shown significant growth, with several new shows having been introduced in 2007–2008. However, in early 2009 ''1Up.com'' was purchased by UGO and its parent company Hearst Corporation from Ziff Davis. This resulted not only in the closure of Electronic Gaming Monthly, but also the loss of over 30 jobs, including several hosts and producers of the site's many podcasts. Because of this, more than half of the network's shows were abruptly discontinued, leaving only a few remaining. While ''1Up Yours'' did not cease to exist, the resignation of the show's co-host Shane Bettenhausen led host Garnett Lee to change the show's name and structure to ''Listen UP''. Several former employees also started their own projects after the firings as well, including ''Co-Op'', the spiritual successor to ''The 1Up Show'', ''Rebel FM'', the follow-up to ''1Up FM'', and ''The Geekbox'', Ryan Scott's replacement for ''Lan Party'' podcast.

Programming

''1UP Yours''

The initial four-man lineup included Garnett Lee, Shane Bettenhausen, Luke Smith and John Davison. However, Smith later left the network to accept a position at the then-Microsoft game development studio Bungie. On August 24, 2007, Mark MacDonald was declared the show's official fourth chair member. John Davison then announced that he was leaving the 1UP staff, though he would continue his participation with the podcast despite his change in career. The last officially branded ''1UP Yours'' was recorded on January 17, 2009, and was released on January 22, 2009. On September 30, 2009, Garnett Lee announced he would be leaving 1UP to become the editorial director for Gamefly Media. It was replaced by ''4 Guys 1UP'' hosted by former fourth chair David Ellis. Lee stated he will create a new show for Gamefly Media titled ''Weekend Confirmed''.

On January 6, 2009, it was announced that Ziff Davis would be selling 1UP.com to the Hearst Corporation, in the process terminating Electronic Gaming Monthly and over 30 employees, including Shane Bettenhausen and Andrew Pfister. In the wake of the announcement the future of 1UP Yours was uncertain. On January 16, Garnett Lee confirmed the continuation of the series with a new cast consisting of John Davison, David Ellis, and Garnett Lee and new regular addition Sam Kennedy. However, the show would have to continue under a new name, ''Listen UP''. However, with Lee's departure from 1UP in October 2009, the show would end, its final episode airing October 9, 2009.

''Retronauts''

Retronauts also produced the supplement video podcast, Bonus Stage, which looked at specific retro titles more closely. After a long hiatus, Bonus Stage was finally updated in September 2009. Retronauts returned to producing video content with Retronauts Lunch Break, though this segment was not available as a podcast. Bob Mackey has also crossed over with the Laser Time podcast network. Retronauts survived the demise of 1UP, first existing independently and supported by crowdfunding services, but later under the auspices of the USGamer website, a subsidiary of Eurogamer. Retronauts is now fully crowdfunded on Patreon.

''The 1UP Show''

''The 1UP Show'' was a weekly videogame podcast produced by the website. The show premiered on October 21, 2005, and featured editors from 1UP.com, ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'', and '' Games for Windows: The Official Magazine''. The show was initially created by Jane Pinckard and Ryan O'Donnell, and Che Chou. The theme song was created by Jane Pinckard and Eric Haller and the music for the series was composed by Ryan O'Donnell. The show consisted of previews and reviews of video games as well as debates and discussions on videogame news. The podcast contained some scripted content, but mostly consisted of unscripted discussions. The 1UP Network was sold by Ziff Davis to the UGO Network on January 7, 2009, and two days later Matt Chandronait announced on 1UP.com that ''The1UP Show'' would be ending due to the acquisition.

Awards

''Broken Pixels''

The first episode of Season 1 debuted on September 9, 2008, with the crew playing ''Robocop'' for the original Xbox. Former 1UP and GFW editor Shawn Elliott made a guest appearance on the WWE Crush Hour episode during this season. At the end of the Season 1 finale, a teaser was shown announcing that the second season would be premiering January 6, 2009. However, that was the day of the Ziff Davis layoffs that left more than 30 people out of a job, including the entire cast of Broken Pixels. Furthermore, Seanbaby noted that he caused controversy with "media watchdogs" by his use of the term "faggotiest" in the Spiderman 3 episode at the end of season one. Most fans assumed that the show would not continue and that the segments they filmed would never be released, but season 2 premiered on February 6, 2009, with the Sega CD game, Wirehead.

''GFW Radio and LAN Party''

It was announced on September 4, 2008, that Jeff Green would leave Ziff Davis after 17 years to join Electronic Arts to work on the " Sim" franchise. Shortly afterward on September 17, co-host Shawn Elliott also announced that he would be leaving the company to work under Ken Levine as associate producer on the next 2K Boston video game. The podcast is often affectionately referred to its nickname "97.5 The Brodeo".

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:1up.Com
Video game news websites
Internet properties established in 2003
Internet properties disestablished in 2013
2003 establishments in the United States
2013 disestablishments in the United States
Defunct American websites
IGN