The Future of Games Media: AI, Substack, and the Rise of Independent Journalism

Mar 31, 2026

Stephen Totilo, veteran games journalist who founded the GameFile Substack after roles at MTV News, Kotaku, and Axios. He talks about leaving institutional media to build a subscription publication. He explores balancing reporting with running a business. He dives into AI’s role in reporting, issues with AI-generated pitches, and ethical tensions when industry readers pay.

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ANECDOTE

Industry Subscribers Created New Ethical Tension

Subscriptions from industry insiders (e.g., Phil Spencer) created ethical tension for Stephen because readers he covers were directly paying him.
He mitigated this by avoiding watching subscriber lists closely and relying on scale to dilute single-subscriber influence.

ANECDOTE

Private Jet Interview Led To Exclusive Three Part Series

Stephen accepted a private jet flight with Saber Interactive's CEO only after negotiating an on-record interview during the flight.
The trip produced a three-part GameFile series and rare executive access that justified the ethical decision.

ADVICE

Use AI For Transcription And Translation

Use AI tools for transcription and translation to unlock coverage that was previously inaccessible.
Stephen translated Korean and French audio via AI transcription to report stories he otherwise couldn't have produced alone.

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In this episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with Stephen Totilo, founder of Game File and a veteran games journalist with over two decades of experience across MTV News, Kotaku, and Axios to unpack how the media landscape around gaming is rapidly evolving. As traditional outlets shrink and more journalists go independent, Stephen shares what it actually looks like to build a sustainable, subscription-based publication and why he chose to bet on himself rather than join another institution. The conversation explores the shift from institutional media power to individual credibility, and how trust, audience relationships, and direct monetization are reshaping journalism in real time - while also raising new challenges for discovery, sustainability, and the next generation of reporters entering the field.

Kalie and Stephen also dive into the realities of running an independent media business, from balancing reporting with entrepreneurship to navigating ethical considerations in a world where sources can also be subscribers. They discuss the growing intersection between journalism, the creator economy, and AI, including how Stephen uses AI tools for transcription and translation to unlock stories that would have previously been inaccessible, while also confronting the rise of “AI slop” in pitches and content. The episode closes with practical advice for game developers and PR professionals on how to work with modern media, emphasizing the importance of storytelling, understanding reporter incentives, and building meaningful relationships in an increasingly fragmented media ecosystem.

We’d also like to thank modl.ai for making this episode possible! Using a combination of computer vision, reasoning models, and feedback loops, modl:QA+ autonomously explores builds, detects bugs, and generates actionable reports that sync directly with your existing workflows. To learn more, visit modl.ai.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Stephen Totilo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-totilo-8208a94/

Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/

Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Links Mentioned:

https://www.gamefile.news/

https://www.echomark.com/