Vertical Slice by Chris Kerr launched after leaving Game Developer

• Chris Kerr, former senior news editor at Game Developer, is leading the project.
• Kerr says he is funding the project in its early stages with his own savings.

What happened

Chris Kerr has launched Vertical Slice as a new publication for the games sector. The title is described as a trade publication aimed at the industry and the professional side of games. In the available context, Vertical Slice is also linked to a Substack page and a separate website reference, although the provided snippets do not make it fully clear which environment is the project’s primary home.

Kerr worked at Game Developer for about 11 years and has been reporting on games for 15 years. According to the available information, he spent roughly 13 years on the trade beat before leaving Game Developer at the end of last month. The source also describes him as an award-winning reporter who has focused on the videogame industry for years. His Bluesky profile identifies him as a former news editor at Game Developer and also lists an email address on the verticalslice.news domain, suggesting the project already has its own editorial identity.

In a comment, Kerr said he wanted to do his best work outside the limits of a publication owned by a global publicly traded company with other commercial interests. He says Vertical Slice is being funded at least in the early stages with his own savings. The available information does not mention an exact amount, any investors, or an additional funding round. It is also not confirmed whether Vertical Slice already has permanent staff or whether more contributors will be added later.

The exact launch date, web address, and precise editorial focus of Vertical Slice have not yet been fully confirmed in the provided material. What is clear is that the publication was publicly visible in external context by October 7, 2026, when it had an initial Substack issue, while Kotaku reported on the launch and Kerr’s departure on October 12, 2026. That makes it clear the project surfaced publicly during that period, but not that all parts went live at the same time.

Background

Chris Kerr is described in the source as a long-time games reporter and former senior news editor at Game Developer. His new project, Vertical Slice, is presented as a move toward more independent coverage within the games industry. The wording in the source emphasizes that Kerr wants to do his work outside the influence of a large publicly traded owner with other commercial interests, underlining the project’s positioning as a trade publication.

The available context also mentions a Substack page and a separate website reference for Vertical Slice Games. The Substack page carries the Vertical Slice Games name and includes a first issue, while the website reference to verticalslicegames.com shows a separate release calendar with upcoming video game releases. That combination suggests multiple online components linked to the same name, but the snippets do not make it clear whether this is one connected editorial ecosystem or two parallel publication formats.

There is still a lot unknown on the business side as well. The source confirms that Kerr is funding the project from his own savings in the early stages, but gives no amount, no timeline, and no additional backers. There is also no confirmation of a permanent newsroom, a publishing partner, or a later expansion with freelancers. The available information therefore mainly shows Vertical Slice launching as an independent initiative, with Kerr as its face and final decision-maker.

The timing in the context does make clear that the launch took place in October 2026. Kotaku published about the project on October 12, 2026, while the Substack page was already visible on October 7, 2026. That means the publication became public during that week, although the exact order of the site, newsletter, and any other channels remains unclear.

Sources

• Kotaku: article about the launch of Vertical Slice and Chris Kerr’s departure from Game Developer.
• External context: Vertical Slice Games on Substack and a reference to verticalslicegames.com.