1Up Network
1Up.com was an American entertainment website that focused on video games. Launched in 2003, 1Up.com provided its own original features, news stories, game reviews, and video interviews, and also featured comprehensive PC-focused content. Like a print magazine, 1Up.com also hosted special week-long online cover stories that presented each day a new in-depth feature story, interview with the developers, game screenshot gallery, game video footage, and video of the game studio and creators. On February 21, 2013, Ziff Davis announced it would be winding down the site, along with sister sites GameSpy and UGO.com.
Network
1Up Network was a collection of podcasts hosted by 1Up.com dealing with various aspects of gaming. Most of the shows, like 4 Guys 1Up, were about games and general gaming culture. Others were more specific, such as The Sports Game Guy's Sports Anomaly, which focused on sports games. The network also featured Retronauts, an audio retrospective series that chronicled various retro games and game series. The network had shown significant growth, with several new shows having been introduced in 2007–2008. However, in early 2009 1Up.com was purchased by UGO and its parent company Hearst Corporation from Ziff Davis. This resulted not only in the closure of Electronic Gaming Monthly, but also the loss of over 30 jobs, including several hosts and producers of the site's many podcasts. Because of this, more than half of the network's shows were abruptly discontinued, leaving only a few remaining. While 1Up Yours did not cease to exist, the resignation of the show's co-host Shane Bettenhausen led host Garnett Lee to change the show's name and structure to Listen UP. Several former employees also started their own projects after the firings as well, including Co-Op, the spiritual successor to The 1Up Show, Rebel FM, the follow-up to 1Up FM, and The Geekbox, Ryan Scott's replacement for Lan Party podcast.Programming
''1UP Yours''
The initial four-man lineup included Garnett Lee, Shane Bettenhausen, Luke Smith and John Davison. However, Smith later left the network to accept a position at the then-Microsoft game development studio Bungie. On August 24, 2007, Mark MacDonald was declared the show's official fourth chair member. John Davison then announced that he was leaving the 1UP staff, though he would continue his participation with the podcast despite his change in career. The last officially branded 1UP Yours was recorded on January 17, 2009, and was released on January 22, 2009. On September 30, 2009, Garnett Lee announced he would be leaving 1UP to become the editorial director for Gamefly Media. It was replaced by 4 Guys 1UP hosted by former fourth chair David Ellis. Lee stated he will create a new show for Gamefly Media titled Weekend Confirmed.On January 6, 2009, it was announced that Ziff Davis would be selling 1UP.com to the Hearst Corporation, in the process terminating Electronic Gaming Monthly and over 30 employees, including Shane Bettenhausen and Andrew Pfister. In the wake of the announcement the future of 1UP Yours was uncertain. On January 16, Garnett Lee confirmed the continuation of the series with a new cast consisting of John Davison, David Ellis, and Garnett Lee and new regular addition Sam Kennedy. However, the show would have to continue under a new name, Listen UP. However, with Lee's departure from 1UP in October 2009, the show would end, its final episode airing October 9, 2009.
''Retronauts''
Retronauts also produced the supplement video podcast, Bonus Stage, which looked at specific retro titles more closely. After a long hiatus, Bonus Stage was finally updated in September 2009. Retronauts returned to producing video content with Retronauts Lunch Break, though this segment was not available as a podcast. Bob Mackey has also crossed over with the Laser Time podcast network. After 1UP was shuttered by Ziff Davis, Retronauts survived as its own entity. The podcast raised money through crowdfunding, and was later promoted through the USGamer website, a subsidiary of Eurogamer. Retronauts is now fully crowdfunded on Patreon.Digital Trends has hailed Retronauts as one of the best video game podcasts, for covering historic games with a strong selection of guest commentators. Retronauts was also included on Kotaku's list of best gaming podcasts, who praised its cast and depth of coverage on each topic. Polygon also recommended Retronauts and its host, with Chris Plante saying "when it comes to retro video games, I trust no one more than Jeremy Parish."