Hookshot, the games‑media publisher behind titles such as Nintendo Life, Push Square, Pure Xbox and the retro outlet Time Extension, has unveiled a brand‑new PC‑centric publication called Steam Hype. This marks the fifth property in Hookshot’s growing portfolio, a collection in which IGN Entertainment – via its ownership of Gamer Network – holds a minority interest. Steam Hype is designed to serve as a dedicated hub for everything happening on Valve’s Steam platform, from the latest blockbuster releases to the endless stream of indie gems that appear daily.
The launch arrives just three months after Hookshot’s other recent venture, Respec, entered the market. Both projects emerge at a time when the broader games‑media landscape is experiencing a prolonged contraction. In the past month alone, Paste Games shut its doors, the Walmart‑backed outlet Restart laid off its entire editorial staff, and numerous other sites have announced rounds of redundancies.
Despite this bleak backdrop, Hookshot’s chief executive, Dickens, argues that the company’s independent ownership – similar to Respec’s parent Double Black – gives it the flexibility to grow while competitors are forced to shrink. "One of the advantages of remaining (majority) independently owned is that we aren’t answerable to shareholders demanding relentless year‑on‑year growth," Dickens told GamesIndustry.biz. "Even though the games‑media sector is in a contraction phase, that doesn’t mean we can’t adapt and keep delivering successes." Steam Hype’s editorial mantra is simple: "What’s Hot?
& What’s Next on Steam?" According to Dickens, this means that the site will rely heavily on "human‑led curation and recommendation" as its core mission. While AAA titles continue to dominate headlines, Steam sees a constant avalanche of new releases, updates, and experimental projects. Steam Hype aims to cut through the noise by spotlighting the games it deems most compelling or deserving of a player’s attention. To that end, the outlet will publish a monthly playlist of standout new releases and a weekly roundup that highlights notable updates and fresh titles.
The focus, as the name suggests, is squarely on Steam – not only the games but also Valve’s expanding hardware ecosystem, which now includes the Steam Deck and the recently announced Steam Machine concepts. Dickens acknowledges that directly challenging established PC‑gaming powerhouses such as PC Gamer or Rock Paper Shotgun would be "foolish," yet he believes there is still room for a publication that leans more heavily into indie discovery and deeper game analysis. "PC gaming has always been a blind spot for us," he admits.
"People often ask, ‘Why don’t you have a PC site?’ and now we finally have an answer. The PC scene has never been healthier; the volume of interesting titles is at an all‑time high, and the barrier to entry is lower than ever." Editorial leadership will be provided by Hookshot co‑founder and editorial director Damien McFerran, while the day‑to‑day content will be overseen by indie‑game writer and influencer Dominic Tarason, a frequent contributor to PC Gamer and Rock Paper Shotgun. Junior staff writer Noah McFerran will support the team. The site’s revenue model will be primarily advertising, with sales managed by IGN Entertainment, but it will also tap into Hookshot’s reader‑funded supporter program that offers ad‑free browsing for contributors – a model already used across the company’s other properties.
Although Steam Hype is principally a Steam‑focused outlet, Dickens notes that the team will not shy away from covering noteworthy releases on other platforms when they merit attention. "There are excellent games on Itch.io, and we’ll dip into that space occasionally, but our core mission remains Steam," he said. The team has not yet engaged directly with Valve regarding the launch, preferring to let the editorial voice develop organically. Because the PC market is an open ecosystem, the target audience for Steam Hype is less narrowly defined than for Hookshot’s console‑centric brands.
Nevertheless, Dickens believes that a clear focus on Steam will attract a community of like‑minded gamers. He points out that while a Nintendo Direct can showcase a year’s worth of major releases in a single broadcast, the PC world hosts dozens of indie showcases and festivals each year, yet they only scratch the surface of the vast Steam catalogue. "Valve’s recent hardware pushes, like the Steam Deck, bring the PC experience closer to console territory," he explained. "That gives us a broader canvas of games to cover while still maintaining a cohesive editorial identity." Building an audience is the immediate priority for Steam Hype.
Dickens expects growth to be largely organic, driven by cross‑promotion from Hookshot’s existing sites, partnerships, and the team’s strong social‑media presence. All of Hookshot’s properties share a common content‑management system, a technical advantage that proved useful when expanding the retro brand Time Extension after its 2022 launch. This shared infrastructure allows Steam Hype articles to be republished across the network, increasing visibility and traffic.
Despite the well‑publicised downturn in media revenues, Hookshot reports that its overall business remains healthy, bolstered in part by the continued success of the Nintendo Switch platform and the upcoming Switch 2. Dickens says the company has experienced only a modest dip in traffic compared with industry averages, and he credits IGN Entertainment’s commercial expertise for allowing the editorial teams to focus on content quality. He also comments on the broader console market, noting that PlayStation has faced a "somewhat odd" year, while Xbox’s Pure Xbox brand has seen "solid growth" throughout 2026.
Looking ahead, the goal for Steam Hype – as with any new venture – is to reach break‑even within the first twelve months. Beyond financial viability, Dickens hopes the site will become a trusted badge of honour for developers whose games are featured in the weekly and monthly playlists. "We want our curation to be a signal to players that a title is worth their time," he says. "Our audience is hungry for a brand of journalism that doesn’t just recap the biggest trailer events, but tells you what’s actually playable right now and why it matters." With more than sixteen years of experience running games‑media brands, the Hookshot team is well aware of the challenges involved in launching a fresh site.
Yet they remain enthusiastic about the opportunity. "It’s a tough environment for both games media and development, but we’re in it for the long haul," Dickens concludes, underscoring the company’s commitment to carving out a distinct space in the crowded world of PC gaming coverage.