Output Lag is an independent, ad-free games site. We cover indie games, small-team projects, and the big AAA releases side by side, because a great game made by three people deserves the same attention as one made by three thousand.
Why Output Lag exists
Steven Mills started Output Lag in 2025 after years of watching games sites get buried under ads and narrow their coverage to whatever the biggest publishers were pushing that week. Output Lag was built to do the opposite: no display ads, and a mix of coverage that gives smaller studios a real shot at being seen.
The long-term goal is a community, not just a feed of articles. A place where players find their next favorite game, whether it comes from a studio you have never heard of or one you have followed for twenty years.
What we cover
- News, including the Wire, our fast lane for announcements from developers and publishers, and live coverage of showcases like Summer Game Fest, Gamescom, BlizzCon, and Nintendo Directs.
- Reviews with a clear score, a disclosure line, and the reasoning behind the number. See our Review Methodology.
- Guides that get to the answer without padding, and say which patch they were verified on.
- Previews and hands-on impressions from preview builds and events.
How Output Lag is funded
There are no display ads on Output Lag. The only paid placements are clearly labeled promoted slots, explained in full on How Promotions Work. Promotions never buy coverage, review scores, or review timing, and we do not accept payment for reviews or editorial coverage of any kind.
Who runs it
Steven Mills is the founder and editor of Output Lag, and has the final say on everything we publish. He grew up on StarCraft: Brood War and WarCraft III, splitting his time between melee matches and custom maps, before World of Warcraft took over. He has been writing about games professionally since 2007, starting at WorthPlaying and going on to write for Game Guide World, Strategy Informer, GameWatcher, Noktral, and Destructoid.
Steven runs Output Lag from a mountain in Maryland, USA. Guides are produced by our guide team, each focused on the genres they love most, and every guide is checked by Steven before it goes live.
Our standards
How we work, how we use AI, how we handle review codes, and how we fix mistakes are all written down on our Editorial Standards page. If something we published is wrong, tell us at tips@outputlag.com and we will correct it.
Get in touch
- General and editorial: steven@outputlag.com
- News tips and corrections: tips@outputlag.com
- Press releases and announcements: wire@outputlag.com
More ways to reach us are on the Contact page.