On September 16, 2025, Den of Geek announced it has been acquired by Literally Media, the digital media company best known for legacy internet brands like Know Your Meme, eBaum’s World, Cheezburger, Cracked, and MEL Magazine. According to the official press release, the acquisition is being billed as a growth move—meant to expand Literally Media’s reach into live events, fan culture, and premium entertainment content.

While the corporate optimism is predictable—words like “legacy,” “growth,” and “authenticity” appear throughout the announcement—the news marks something bigger for those of us in the geek and nerd publishing space: another once-independent pop culture site has been folded into a larger corporate network.

For readers, it may not feel seismic. Den of Geek will still publish stories about movies, TV, games, and comics. The editors and writers you know will likely keep their bylines, and no layoffs were announced. But zoom out, and you’ll see a trend that has defined the last decade: independent geek blogs are disappearing.

And with this acquisition, The Game of Nerds can confidently say: we are one of the last big independent nerd/geek sites still standing.

The Corporate Takeover of Geek Media

To understand the significance of this acquisition, you have to look at the broader media landscape. Ten to fifteen years ago, geek blogs and nerd culture outlets popped up everywhere. Fans, critics, and enthusiasts were building their own digital spaces to celebrate fandoms, review movies, cover comic cons, and deep dive into gaming culture.

But today? Most of those voices are owned by bigger companies.

  • Nerdist – Once the scrappy podcast and blog created by Chris Hardwick, it’s now fully corporate. It has been bought, sold, and restructured multiple times, most recently tied to Legendary Entertainment.
  • Comicbook.com – Began as an independent news outlet in 2012. In 2018, it was acquired by CBS Interactive (now Paramount Global). Its voice and output shifted to align more with corporate media needs than grassroots fandom coverage.
  • Looper, ScreenRant, CBR, Collider – Many of these outlets are controlled by larger digital media conglomerates or private equity–backed networks. While they still produce fan-friendly content, editorial decisions are often driven more by algorithms, ad revenue, and investor priorities than community-first journalism.
  • Now Den of Geek – Founded in 2007 as a passion project for in-depth entertainment coverage, it grew into a trusted site with global reach. With this acquisition, it is no longer independent.

This isn’t to say these sites aren’t producing good content. They are. But their ownership structures mean they are not truly fan-owned or independent anymore.

What Literally Media Gets Out of This

For Literally Media, acquiring Den of Geek is a strategic move. Their portfolio has long centered on humor and culture brands—Cheezburger and Know Your Meme are meme royalty, Cracked carries satirical weight, and MEL Magazine focuses on lifestyle storytelling.

By bringing Den of Geek into the fold, they gain:

  • Editorial credibility in entertainment journalism – Den of Geek is a trusted source for reviews, previews, and convention coverage.
  • A built-in audience of geeks worldwide – Pop culture fans are among the most loyal readers online.
  • Expansion into live events – Den of Geek has already dabbled in convention coverage and branded fan experiences. This acquisition sets the stage for Literally Media to host or sponsor their own large-scale events.
  • Monetization opportunities – With established ad relationships and a proven readership, Den of Geek strengthens Literally Media’s appeal to sponsors, streaming partners, and merch brands.

For Den of Geek, this move is framed as securing their future. As CEO Jennifer Bartner Indeck said in the press release, “Literally Media not only understands what makes our brand special and appreciates it, but they also have the resources and vision to help us grow, without losing the authenticity our fans know and love.”

But longtime fans of nerd media know how often this promise gets tested. Authenticity is always the first thing put on the negotiating table when corporate dollars come calling.

The Shrinking Pool of Independent Geek Sites

So where does this leave independent geek media? The short answer: in a very small pool.

Large corporate acquisitions make sense from a business standpoint. The media world is volatile, with ad revenue shrinking and competition for clicks fiercer than ever. For founders and editors, selling to a larger network often feels like survival.

But each acquisition chips away at something vital: independent fan-first voices.

  • Independent sites can cover niche fandoms that don’t trend on Google.
  • They can afford to be quirky, weird, or offbeat.
  • They can prioritize community over SEO optimization.
  • They don’t have to worry about pleasing shareholders or venture capitalists.

And that’s where The Game of Nerds stands out.

The Game of Nerds: Still Independent, Still Fan-Driven

Unlike the outlets mentioned above, TGON has remained proudly independent since its inception. We don’t answer to corporate overlords, shareholders, or media executives. We answer to our writers, our readers, and our fandoms.

That independence means we can:

  • Cover conventions big and small, from San Diego Comic-Con to regional fan expos.
  • Dive into fandom anniversaries, niche shows, and quirky pop culture phenomena that larger outlets ignore.
  • Blend personal experience and fan passion into our coverage, rather than relying solely on press releases.
  • Maintain a volunteer-based staff of writers who contribute because they love fandom, not because they’re chasing pageview quotas.

We’ve seen firsthand how independence allows for flexibility. When WordPress bugs or site host transitions slow us down, our community still rallies. When Hollywood strikes shift the entertainment landscape, we don’t have to toe a corporate line.

Simply put: our independence is our strength.

Why This Matters to Fans

You might be wondering: why does it matter who owns Den of Geek, Nerdist, or Comicbook.com? If the content is still coming out, who cares?

Here’s why it matters:

  1. Editorial Priorities Change – Corporate-owned outlets prioritize stories that generate the highest ad revenue. This can mean fewer deep dives, fewer indie features, and more clickbait.
  2. Fandom Coverage Gets Narrower – Niche fandoms or smaller geek properties often get sidelined when companies chase mainstream dollars.
  3. Authenticity Slips – Fans can tell when coverage starts sounding more like marketing than genuine enthusiasm.
  4. Layoffs and Restructuring – Corporate acquisitions often lead to staff reshuffles. Promises of “no layoffs” don’t always last.

When independent voices disappear, fan culture becomes more homogenized. Every site starts covering the same blockbusters, the same trending trailers, the same SEO keywords. That’s not what fandom is about.

Fandom thrives on weirdness, passion, and individuality—the kind of coverage only independent sites can truly deliver.

The Bigger Picture: Surviving as Independent Media

The acquisition of Den of Geek is both a reminder and a warning. The media industry is tough, and survival often comes at the cost of independence.

But it’s also a rallying cry. For sites like The Game of Nerds, it reinforces why we do what we do. We don’t exist to be bought out or folded into a corporate portfolio. We exist because we love fandom—and because fans deserve spaces that aren’t dictated by shareholders.

As one of the last large independent geek/nerd outlets, TGON is committed to continuing our legacy. That means more convention coverage, more anniversary deep dives, more fan-first stories, and more authentic voices.

The Den of Geek acquisition might be another sign of the times, but it also underscores something crucial: independent nerd media matters more than ever.

Final Thoughts

The acquisition of Den of Geek by Literally Media is a business headline for some, but for those of us in geek publishing, it’s a cultural shift. Another independent voice has been absorbed. Another fan-first outlet now answers to corporate strategy.

But here at The Game of Nerds, we’re still standing tall, still independent, and still fueled by passion—not profits.

If you’re reading this, you’re part of that story. You’re proof that there’s still an audience for authentic, independent nerd voices. And as long as that’s true, we’ll keep doing what we do best: celebrating fandom in all its weird, wonderful glory.