Former members of the Escapist team introduce a fresh gaming media platform named ‘Second Wind.

Today marks the announcement of a second independent gaming and culture website: ‘Second Wind,’ founded by former Escapist staff members Nick Calandra and Ben Croshaw.

On Monday, November 6th, Nick Calandra, who had served as the editor-in-chief of The Escapist since 2019, disclosed that he had been dismissed from his position. He explained that he, along with other staff members, was let go by the parent company GAMURS, which had acquired the site in 2022, due to unspecified unmet goals.

“I have chosen not to accept my severance package and will not be signing a non-disclosure agreement,” stated Calandra on X (formerly Twitter). “I take immense pride in everything my team and I accomplished over the past four years and the community we fostered together.”

Following Calandra’s departure, Ben Croshaw, also known by his online handle ‘Yahtzee’ and the creator of The Escapist’s renowned Zero Punctuation review series, announced his exit from The Escapist, along with several remaining employees. He mentioned, “I don’t have the rights to Zero Punctuation, but regardless of what happens, you can expect to hear my voice again soon, in a new setting.”

As of now, Second Wind has only established a presence on social media platforms like X and YouTube, along with a Patreon page. The company’s mission is succinctly described as “focused on producing content that is informative, engaging, and enjoyable, embodying everything you have come to anticipate from the team behind The Escapist.”

In under 24 hours following their departure from The Escapist, Yahtzee Croshaw and former Editor-in-Chief Nick Calandra have launched a new platform to continue their work.