Hookshot, the games‑media publishing house behind titles such as Nintendo Life, Push Square, Pure Xbox and the retro‑focused Time Extension, has unveiled a brand‑new outlet dedicated to PC gaming: Steam Hype. This launch marks the fifth property in Hookshot’s portfolio and rounds out the company’s cross‑platform presence, joining forces with IGN Entertainment, which retains a minority interest through its ownership of the Gamer Network family.
The announcement arrives only three months after Hookshot rolled out Respec, another venture aimed at a niche audience. Both launches come at a time when the broader media landscape—especially gaming journalism—has been experiencing a sustained contraction. Recent headlines have chronicled the closure of Paste Games, the mass lay‑offs at Walmart‑backed Restart, and a string of staff reductions across other established outlets. Despite this headwinds, Hookshot’s chief executive, Dickens, argues that the company’s independent ownership structure—similar to Respec’s parent, Double Black—gives it the flexibility to grow while competitors are forced to shrink.
"Being majority‑independently owned means 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 preclude us from adapting and continuing to thrive." Steam Hype’s core mission is summed up in its tagline: “What’s Hot? & What’s Next on Steam?” According to Dickens, this translates into a commitment to human‑led curation and recommendation. While AAA releases dominate headlines, Steam sees a daily torrent of new titles—indie experiments, early‑access projects, and niche experiences that would otherwise be lost in the noise.
Steam Hype aims to shine a spotlight on the games that merit a player’s attention, delivering a monthly playlist of noteworthy new releases and a weekly roundup of significant updates and fresh launches. The site’s focus is explicitly on Valve’s ecosystem, covering both games and the expanding hardware lineup that includes the Steam Deck and the recently announced Steam Machine concepts. Dickens acknowledges that directly competing with heavyweight PC outlets like PC Gamer or Rock Paper Shotgun would be unwise, but he believes there is still room for a publication that leans heavily into indie discovery and curated recommendations.
"PC gaming has always been a blind spot for us," he admitted. "People often ask, ‘Why don’t you have a PC site?’ and now we’re finally answering that question. The PC scene has never been richer—there are more interesting titles than ever, and the barrier to entry for developers is lower than ever before." Editorial leadership will be provided by Hookshot co‑founder and editorial director Damien McFerran, with indie‑game writer and influencer Dominic Tarason—known for his contributions to PC Gamer and Rock Paper Shotgun—heading day‑to‑day content creation.
Noah McFerran will join as a junior staff writer. Revenue will be generated primarily through advertising, with sales managed by IGN Entertainment, but the site will also tap into Hookshot’s reader‑support program, allowing subscribers to enjoy an ad‑free experience. While Steam Hype will primarily cover releases on Valve’s platform, Dickens says the team will not ignore noteworthy titles on other services such as Itch.io. "We’ll dip into other platforms when something truly exceptional surfaces, but our core identity remains Steam‑centric," he explained.
No formal partnership with Valve has been disclosed, and the team has not yet engaged in direct talks with the company. Because the PC market is an open platform, the audience for Steam Hype is less narrowly defined than for Hookshot’s console‑focused brands. Dickens believes that a clear editorial focus will still attract a community of like‑minded gamers.
"PC releases are scattered across countless showcases and festivals throughout the year, unlike the concentrated bursts we see in Nintendo Directs. That breadth means we can surface hidden gems that would otherwise stay under the radar." The immediate priority for the new venture is audience growth. Dickens expects the expansion to be largely organic, driven by cross‑promotion from Hookshot’s existing sites, partnerships, and the team’s robust social‑media presence.
All of Hookshot’s properties share a common content‑management system, a technical advantage that proved effective in scaling the retro brand Time Extension after its 2022 launch. Despite the well‑publicised downturn in the wider media sector, Hookshot reports a relatively stable performance, buoyed in part by the anticipated launch of a Nintendo Switch 2.
Dickens notes that while traffic declines have been observed industry‑wide, the impact on Hookshot’s portfolio has been modest. "IGN Entertainment does an excellent job handling our commercial side, freeing us to concentrate on producing the best possible content," he added.
Looking ahead, Dickens is optimistic about the future of Nintendo platforms, while observing that PlayStation has faced a “slightly weird” year, generating a lot of discussion among fans and analysts. Pure Xbox, another Hookshot property, has reportedly experienced solid growth throughout 2026.
For Steam Hype, the short‑term financial goal is simple: break even within the first year. Beyond that, the ambition is to establish the brand as a trusted authority whose weekly playlist becomes a badge of honour for developers and a go‑to discovery tool for gamers.
"We’re not here to re‑hash the latest blockbuster trailers," Dickens emphasized. "We want to tell you what’s actually available to play right now and why it matters." With more than 16 years of experience building and managing games‑media brands, the Hookshot team is fully aware of the challenges involved in launching a new outlet. Nonetheless, they approach the task with enthusiasm and a long‑term perspective.
"It’s a tough environment for both games journalism and game development, but we’re in it for the marathon, not a sprint," Dickens concluded.