Partner Spotlight: TheSixthAxis
Each month we shout about one of our incredible partners. For July, we sought out TheSixthAxis to talk about their site evolution and subsequent refresh.
Longevity is something that can be hard to come by in publishing. So many sites start up and sizzle out, so to have a site still going strong after fifteen years is nothing short of amazing. TheSixthAxis originally began as a Playstation-centric site, but quickly set their sights on dominating PC, Xbox, and Nintendo spaces. Today, they’re one of the top sites for users to find reviews, game guides and more.
What drove you to create your website? Did you see a gap in the market for this type of website?
“TheSixthAxis was originally created by Alex and Michael as a PlayStation-focused site just as the PS3 was about to be released, with the current team all originally joining as volunteers. We steadily built the brand from there, branching out to cover all platforms and types of games, and creating TheSixthAxis Media Ltd in 2019.”
How has your audience impacted your experience as a site owner/gamer?
“It’s amazing to see people engaging with what you’ve written and to see it being shared across other sites and social media. The reaction to games journalism and opinions can be *interesting* at times, but we’ve always had a wonderful community.”
What’s one of your favorite aspects of managing your website?
“We all love writing about video games, and that’s what drives us each week. Discovering new games remains key though, especially when they’re unique or unexpected.”
What are you most proud of in regards to your website?
“Growing the site from 2019 was a huge success for us, and we feel that the site refresh that followed still holds up today. Considering the amount of legacy reviews that we have from over 15 years, a site redesign is no small feat, so it was important to get it right!”
What are some of your favorite games to write about or review?
“Across the team there’s a hugely diverse range of tastes, but RPGs and horror games hit home with a lot of us. The Final Fantasy series remains at the head of that, and there’s always a bit of competition over who’s going to review the next Resident Evil game.”
What’s an article that surprised you in its performance?
“Our Animal Crossing guides continue to pull in readers, and they were genuinely a key part to our growth through 2020.”
How do you choose what content to review or write about?
“It’s a combination of looking at what’s going to be popular, and creating content about things we’re personally interested in – hence all the anime game reviews! Getting that balance right is always tricky, and we’re learning every day.”
What’s your favorite type of content to create?
“As the Reviews Editor I have to say I love reviewing games, but I’m really keen on a good preview with an interview from the developer as well. It’s great to look behind the shiny graphics and the raw gameplay to get some insight into how a game was made and the motivations behind it.”
What’s next for The Sixth Axis?
“We’re going to continue looking to grow our brand, and given how broad video games have become, trying to find the niches that we’re passionate about and that can also resonate with people who discover our site.”
Do you have any advice for website owners who are just starting out?
“Consistency and featuring news and content that you feel personally interested in, rather than always just chasing SEO, helps to keep things interesting.”
For more information about all of the incredible partners we work with, check them out here. If you’re an existing partner who’d like to be featured in our Partner Spotlight, you can reach out to your Publisher Collective contact and express your interest. Want to get in on the action? Apply to become a partner here.