Ethics & Ownership

This page sets out who owns and funds ShaneTheGamer (STG), and how we keep our coverage independent of commercial interests.

Ownership

ShaneTheGamer has published independently since 2012 and is owned and operated by ShaneTheGamer Ltd, based in Aotearoa New Zealand. The site was founded by Shane Thomas and is run by a team of named editors and contributors.

How we are funded

STG is funded through advertising, affiliate links and occasional clearly-labelled sponsored content. Affiliate links may earn us a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. These commercial arrangements never influence our editorial verdicts, scores or which stories we choose to cover.

Editorial independence

• No pay-for-coverage. We do not sell positive reviews or news coverage. Advertisers and partners get no say over editorial content.
• Clear labelling. Sponsored or paid posts are always identified as such and separated from independent editorial.
• Review integrity. Receiving review code, hardware or event access from a company does not affect our conclusions, and we disclose it where relevant.

Conflicts of interest

Where a writer has a personal or financial connection to something they are covering, that connection is disclosed or the assignment is reallocated. Our full standards are set out in our Editorial Policy.