See How Game Rant Went From Humble Beginnings to Gaming Powerhouse!

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As a movie enthusiast, I’d say: You know how they say not to judge a film by its poster? Well, a good movie poster can certainly give you a hint about the story that unfolds. It sets the stage and primes you for the journey that lies ahead. It’s like a roadsign, guiding you towards what’s coming next.

While websites don’t have physical covers like books, they require thoughtful planning much like designing a book. A well-designed website should guide visitors to locate desired information effortlessly, introduce them to unexpected yet valuable content, and boast an impressive level of organization.

At Game Rant, we’ve always given careful consideration to our book covers, if you will. Over time, as the internet has developed and our platform expanded, so too has our cover design. This is a glimpse into our visual transformation – from our beginnings at Game Rant to our post-acquisition era under Valnet!

Navigating Our Homepage Through The Years

From the beginning, much like many other websites during the internet’s infancy, our goal was to become a top choice for users. Originating as a labor of love by a compact team, Game Rant initially operated with just a handful of individuals. These early pioneers focused on delivering breaking news and insightful reviews about the newest video game releases.

Way back in 2009 (we’re talking a decade ago), Game Rant’s homepage had a standard layout; our navigation system included game consoles as primary sections. If you happened to own an Xbox 360 and were interested in keeping up with the latest news about it and its games, you could easily navigate to that section and catch up on the latest Microsoft console updates.

Screenshots above courtesy of the Wayback Machine.

Currently, our homepage emphasizes various games over the consoles that accommodate them. The games serve as the central point or “hub” of our website, allowing us to regularly update our navigation menu with the latest titles released each year.

You’ll appreciate how effortless it is to access all our exclusive content directly from the homepage, allowing us to customize its arrangement according to our preferences.

According to Editor-in-Chief Anthony Taormina, our homepage layout is designed to showcase our unique stories alongside the day’s most captivating news. The objective is to offer readers a quick overview of the latest happenings at Game Rant and encourage engagement in discussions about the hottest games currently trending. I am delighted that all our distinctive content is easily accessible on the homepage, allowing us to arrange it according to our preferences. Our dedication to producing exclusives and videos is evident, and being able to showcase these prominently on the homepage significantly enhances their visibility.

Developing our database (learn more about it here) not only strengthens our focus on individual games but also boosts reader engagement. Site visitors can construct personal profiles, rate preferred games, write game reviews, compile wishlists for future releases, and track favorite authors through our database.

Article Excellence In Both Design And Content

Over time, circumstances evolve, leading us to craft articles that are not just walls of text with the odd picture here and there.

Or, in another way: With the passage of time and changes occurring around us, our articles have grown beyond simple blocks of text, sometimes featuring images as well.

By utilizing user-friendly resources, we can highlight crucial details that our readers should notice without skipping over them. These tools are so simple to grasp, yet they didn’t exist previously. Our Valnet IT team developed them, and they’ve significantly enhanced the process of writing in every department.

As a dedicated news enthusiast, I can’t stress enough the importance of swiftness in delivering updates. The convenience of quickly disseminating information through shortcuts is simply invaluable. One feature that has truly captivated me during my tenure with GR’s news team is the capability to embed game tags within articles, thanks to Game Rant’s comprehensive database.

Tag insertions have proven beneficial. They provide a concise overview of crucial information regarding various games or topics, enriching our content significantly. The inserted tags offer essential facts such as release dates and platforms where the game is accessible, making it easy for readers to find out when and where they can play a specific game. This convenience saves us time, allowing us to focus on providing additional details in the main text.

A significant number of long-lasting improvements in our site’s features stem from recent enhancements. Greysun Morales, GR’s lead guide editor, values this change as “the most crucial and substantial update we’ve received (particularly for guides).” He is talking about the addition of tooltips.

Integrating tooltips with Fextralife gives our guides a unique edge over other sites. While it may seem insignificant compared to larger features, I find it incredibly impressive. It’s not just aesthetically pleasing, but also user-friendly and unobtrusive.

As a dedicated movie buff, I’ve been privileged to witness the evolution of features here at Game Rant – from the addition of captivating image galleries, to refining our game tags for better navigation, and even enhancing our tooltips for a more enriching user experience. It’s been quite a journey!

Migrating Site Hurdles

The unique features you see on Game Rant were enabled following the transfer to Valnet’s exclusive Content Management System (CMS). Although the tools are user-friendly, transitioning itself is no simple task. As our chief functional analyst, Fabio Del Greco, puts it, it often requires coordinating numerous components.

It’s similar to shifting travelers from one fast-moving bus to another, but here’s the catch: the initial bus can’t reduce its speed below 50 miles per hour.

Migrating a website is typically a complex task due to the fact that the site must remain operational throughout the process. Our objective when transferring a site onto our exclusive Content Management System (CMS) and infrastructure is to ensure minimal interruption for readers, much like seamlessly transitioning passengers from one fast-moving bus to another without either bus significantly slowing down.

After a site is integrated into our Content Management System (CMS), we can enhance it with fresh functionalities at our discretion. The choice of which features to implement and the timing of these additions is influenced by our readership, as Fabio clarifies.

What truly matters is ensuring we provide worthwhile content to our readers. Migrating platforms presents a golden opportunity to learn from other teams and grasp their techniques for crafting content that resonates with their audience. When implementing a new feature, we ensure it’s accessible across all channels. Bringing on a new team opens the door to boost the influence of all our brands, enabling us to better cater to our readers.

Expressing that this task is considerably challenging might be an underestimation. The majority of platforms under Valnet Gaming have gone through this migration process, and numerous editors and authors remember the hurdles they faced. However, the ultimate objective justifies the effort.

Fabio went on to say, ‘Once everything’s wrapped up, there’s no denying the feeling of achievement.’ He explained that migrations are extensive tasks requiring significant input from all participants. As they progress, overcoming each hurdle can be exceptionally gratifying. However, nothing quite matches the sensation a few weeks post-completion, when the team has grown accustomed to and feels at ease with the new setup. It’s a return to a revised routine – one that underscores the diligence invested by everyone on both the technical and creative aspects of the project.

Evolving Site Style, Permanent Passion For Games

Since 2009, Game Rant has undergone significant changes and more are expected in the digital publishing world. Our tech team at Valnet IT is already working on enhancing our Content Management System (CMS). Much of our future development focuses on strengthening community interactions. When you’re logged into Game Rant, readers can evaluate their preferred games on our extensive database pages and create personalized profile pages with custom lists. However, the experience currently feels quite isolated. Our aim is to highlight our active readers, making it simple for them to share their reviews and discussions with friends or make new ones.

Over time, the internet has undergone significant advancements, and so have we. Our ability to adjust, much like a changing book cover, shows our adaptability. Yet, one constant through this journey has been our enduring passion for games. Similarly, our eagerness to share breaking news, deliver comprehensive guides, and create insightful features hasn’t wavered either.

It’s not always accurate to make assumptions about a book based on its exterior, especially since covers can change over time. However, it must be mentioned that our book cover has consistently been exceptional, and we believe it will remain so in the future as well.

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2025-05-14 22:13