IGN is up for auction

Media giant, News Corp. is putting IGN Entertainment along with its other video game sites up for auction after failing to sell the businesses in a private sale.  News Corp. paid  $650 million for the entertainment network in 2005 and  is expecting to receive $100 million from the auction -- as reported by the Wall Street Journal.  The Wall Street Journal, by the way is also owned by News Corp.

Gamespy willl be auctioned along with IGN

News  Corp. is trying to divest itself of its network of video games and pop culture sites.  Digital content providers who have already expressed interest in the auction are  Break Media, SAY Media as well as private equity firms.

News Corp.. is not a stranger to selling its assets, sometimes at a loss as it is doing with this auction.  Last year News Corp  sold My Space for  $35 million, after paying $580 million for the social networking site in 2005.

News Corp.

This auction is preceded by the departure of top executives including IGN president, Roy Bahat -- who worked more than a year to try to sell the division; and the resignation of News Corp. digital chief  Jonathan Miller who failed to revive MySpace.

It is likely that IGN and the other sites on the entertainment network will live on under new ownership/management as a result of the auction.   Time will tell. The  auction effort is being handled by the bank, Allen  & Co.  Auction specifics,i.e., date/time/place were unavailable at press time.