Kotaku editor-in-chief resigns after criticising management

Kotaku editor-in-chief Jen Glennon has resigned from her role, criticising the management team’s new strategy.

Glennon started her role as Kotaku editor-in-chief on October 10, reporting to management at the site’s owner G/O Media.

However, she today announced her resignation on X, saying: “Some personal news! I’ve resigned from Kotaku and Jim Spanfeller is an herb.”

The latter comment is a reference to a long-running insult aimed at G/O Media CEO Jim Spanfeller, as detailed in a Slate article from 2019.

More information on Glennon’s departure was reported by Aftermath, which itself consists mostly of former Kotaku staff.

Aftermath received a copy of Glennon’s resignation letter, in which she told Spanfeller and deputy editorial director Lea Goldman that she disagreed with the decision to focus the site’s priorities on guides instead of news.

“After careful consideration, I have concluded that the current management structure and decision-making processes at G/O Media are not aligned with my values and goals for Kotaku,” Glennon’s letter reads.

“I firmly believe that the decision to ‘invert’ Kotaku’s editorial strategy to deprioritise news in favor of guides is fundamentally misguided given the current infrastructure of the site.

“[This decision is] directly contradicted by months of traffic data, and shows an astonishing disregard for the livelihoods of the remaining writers and editors who work here.”

Aftermath also reports that Kotaku’s remaining staff is now expected to write 50 guides a week for the site, and that its front page section previously dedicated to breaking and major news stories is now dedicated to tips and guides.