As reported by All Things Digital , News Corp and Hearst are preparing to merge two major press outlets in the gaming sphere, IGN (News Corp) and UGO (Hearst), and should make an official announcement soon.

The article offers conflicting descriptions of the situation, so it is not fully clear if this is a merger or if News Corp is purchasing UGO, although it is also stated that IGN "may also acquire other properties before the move." Regardless of specifics, IGN will then break away from News Corp to become its own entity.

Not discussed is the fate of IGN-owned properties including FilePlanet and GameSpy, and UGO-owned properties such as 1UP and HeroMachine.