Sam Kennedy is a veteran games journalist, who's work with print and online properties has shaped video game coverage over the past dozen years.
Kennedy early involvement in video games journalism was as a member of an IRC channel called #vidgames. This is notable, as the channel spawned a remarkable number of journalists who eventually joined Ziff Davis media.
Kennedy has since worked for various outlets, mostly as News Editor. These include GameFan, Gamespot, EGM, and OPM. Kennedy also was involved in Gaming-Age, a website that included the Gaming-Age Forums (GAF), which have left a legacy that now includes NeoGAF, one of the internet's most popular video game message boards.
Kennedy has been most closely associated with 1up.com, overseeing its launch in 2003, and continues to act in the role of editorial director. Since 2003, the 1up Network has expanded beyond 1up.com to include filefront.com, mycheats.com, gametab.com, and gamevideos.com.
1up Buyout Controversy
On January 6th, 2009, 1up.com and its related online properties were acquired by UGO Entertainment. Prior to the transfer of these properties, Ziff Davis released over 30 employees. As many of these employees provided popular online and print content, including EGM, 1up Radio Network podcasts and video podcasts, and online articles, there was a substantial internet backlash to the layoffs. As editorial director of the site, Sam Kennedy ushered in the new ownership with a
controversial blog entry, which was widely panned and criticized for glossing over the major chamges seen by 1up during the acquisition.
One notable criticism was written by former Ziff Davis employee and CGW/GFW Magazine EIC Jeff Green.
Shortly thereafter, Kennedy posted
a second blog entry on the acquisition. This time he was frank about the dealings that led to the major layoffs and what it means for 1up.com. He was lauded for his honest protrayal of the events in questions, and many of the fires he created with his first entry were extinguished.
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