If you search for Gizmodo io9, you may be wondering whether io9 is a separate website, a technology section, or simply another name for Gizmodo. The confusion is understandable because io9 has changed its structure and ownership over the years while keeping its recognizable focus on science fiction, fantasy, entertainment, and the future.
Today, io9 operates as a dedicated section within Gizmodo, with coverage spanning movies, television, anime, books and comics, games, toys, theme parks, trailers, and entertainment culture. Gizmodo itself covers a much wider range of subjects, including technology, science, consumer electronics, artificial intelligence, internet culture, and more.
Understanding that relationship makes it much easier to know where to look for a particular story. If you want practical technology reporting, Gizmodo is the broader destination. If your interest is a new science-fiction movie, a superhero franchise, an anime release, or fantasy entertainment, the io9 section is the more specialized part of the publication.
What Is Gizmodo?
Gizmodo is a technology and culture publication that launched in 2002. Its editorial focus has expanded considerably from its early technology-blog roots and now includes technology news, consumer tech, science, artificial intelligence, internet culture, and entertainment-related coverage.
That broader range is one reason people sometimes have difficulty distinguishing Gizmodo from its individual sections.
A typical visit to Gizmodo might involve completely different subjects from one article to the next. One story may discuss a new piece of consumer technology, while another explores scientific developments or the impact of AI.
The publication describes itself as covering technology, science, and internet culture, while its current staff structure includes dedicated teams for tech news, consumer technology, science, Earther, and io9.
In practical terms, think of Gizmodo as the larger publication and io9 as one of its specialized editorial destinations.
What Is Gizmodo io9?
io9 began as an independent website in 2008 under Gawker Media. It was created by Annalee Newitz with a focus on science fiction, science, futurism, and the way speculative ideas connect with the real world.
Its original concept was broader than simply reporting entertainment news. The founders wanted to examine science fiction as a way of understanding contemporary technology, science, culture, and possible futures.
That idea helped give io9 a distinctive identity.
In 2015, io9 was integrated into Gizmodo. Rather than disappearing as a subject area, its editorial identity continued inside the larger publication. Today, readers can find io9 at Gizmodo, where it remains focused heavily on science fiction and fantasy entertainment.
This history explains why searches for “Gizmodo io9” can lead to what looks like a separate publication even though the current destination is part of Gizmodo.
What Does io9 Cover?
The easiest way to understand io9 is to look at the types of stories it publishes.
Its current sections include:
- Movies
- Television
- Anime
- Books and comics
- Games
- Trailers
- Toys and collectibles
- Theme parks and destinations
- Reviews
- Corporate culture
The current io9 homepage features stories about upcoming films, television series, anime, games, books, franchises, and broader entertainment developments.
Movies and Television
Movie and TV coverage is one of the most visible parts of io9.
Stories can include:
- New trailers
- Upcoming releases
- Franchise announcements
- Casting developments
- Reviews
- Interviews and entertainment news
- Science-fiction and fantasy adaptations
- Updates on established franchises
This makes io9 particularly useful for readers who follow large genre franchises but want more than basic release dates.
Anime, Books, and Comics
io9 also extends beyond Hollywood.
Its current coverage includes anime, manga-related subjects, science-fiction books, fantasy novels, comics, and genre publishing. Recent coverage has included anime franchises and new science-fiction and fantasy books.
That combination is significant because science fiction and fantasy increasingly move between different forms of entertainment. A story might begin as a novel, become a comic, receive an anime adaptation, and eventually appear as a film or television series.
A publication covering those connections can provide useful context that a single-format entertainment site may not.
How Is Gizmodo Different From io9?
The distinction becomes clearer when you compare their primary purposes.
| Area | Gizmodo | io9 |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Technology, science and internet culture | Science fiction, fantasy and genre entertainment |
| Consumer technology | Strong focus | Occasional relevance |
| Science | Dedicated coverage | Historically important to io9’s identity |
| Movies and TV | Some coverage | Major focus |
| Anime | Limited | Dedicated coverage |
| Books and comics | Limited | Dedicated coverage |
| AI and technology | Major topic | Covered when relevant to genre culture |
| Games and collectibles | Some coverage | Dedicated coverage |
| Futurism | Important editorial theme | Part of io9’s original identity |
The boundary is not absolute. Technology and entertainment increasingly overlap, particularly with artificial intelligence, virtual reality, digital effects, gaming, and emerging media.
That overlap is actually part of what made the original io9 concept distinctive: science fiction could be discussed alongside real scientific and technological developments because the two often influence how people imagine the future.
Why the io9 Name Still Matters
One interesting detail that is easy to miss is that io9 was intentionally given a fictional identity.
According to the site’s founding history, the name was connected to an invented science-fiction concept involving futuristic technology and devices that could provide visions of possible futures. The story was fictional, but it reflected the site’s larger purpose: looking toward what might come next.
That makes the name more than a random combination of letters and numbers.
It also explains the site’s long-running emphasis on futurism. io9 was designed around the idea that science fiction is not merely entertainment. It can also provide a framework for thinking about scientific discoveries, technological change, social developments, and possible futures.
A Useful Way to Use Gizmodo io9
If you’re visiting io9 for the first time, it helps to approach the site according to what you want to know.
If You Want Entertainment News
Start with the Movies, Television, Anime, or Trailers categories.
These sections are useful when you’re following an upcoming release and want updates beyond a simple release-date listing.
If You Want Reviews
Look for the io9 Reviews section.
Reviews can help answer a different question from ordinary news coverage: not simply what is coming, but how a particular movie, series, or other work is being received by the publication.
If You Want Science-Fiction Recommendations
The Books & Comics section can be particularly useful.
Rather than limiting science fiction to major movie franchises, this area can introduce readers to novels, comics, and other genre stories that may not receive the same mainstream attention.
If You Follow Franchises
Following io9 can also be useful for keeping different pieces of a franchise together.
For example, a major fictional universe may have movies, television shows, games, books, collectibles, and theme-park attractions. Io9’s broad genre coverage means those developments can appear across several of its categories.
Three Less-Obvious Things About io9
1. Its roots were not purely entertainment-focused
Many readers now associate io9 primarily with movies, television, anime, and fantasy. Historically, however, science and futurism were central to the publication’s identity.
The original concept deliberately placed scientific developments beside science-fiction stories because the editors viewed speculative fiction as a useful way to examine the real world.
That background explains why the io9 brand can feel different from a conventional entertainment-news site.
2. Its merger actually strengthened the technology connection
When io9 became part of Gizmodo, the relationship between science fiction, science, and technology became even more natural.
The original io9 philosophy already treated futuristic technology and speculative fiction as connected subjects. Joining a major technology publication gave that concept a broader editorial environment.
This is particularly relevant today, when subjects such as generative AI, robotics, virtual reality, space exploration, and digital entertainment frequently overlap.
3. The current io9 is broader than a traditional “sci-fi blog”
A quick look at the current section shows categories covering anime, books and comics, games, corporate culture, movies, television, toys and collectibles, trailers, and theme parks.
That means someone searching specifically for “Gizmodo io9” should not expect every article to discuss science fiction in a narrow sense.
The section is better understood as a genre-culture hub.
Is Gizmodo io9 Still Active?
Yes. The io9 section is currently active within Gizmodo, with new stories appearing across its entertainment and genre categories. Current pages show recent coverage published in 2026, including stories involving movies, television, books, anime, games, and entertainment culture.
Gizmodo’s current About page also lists an io9 editorial team, confirming that it remains an active part of the publication rather than simply being an archived brand.
This is an important distinction for people who remember io9 from its earlier standalone years.
The name survived, but the organizational structure changed.
What Makes Gizmodo Useful Beyond Breaking News?
The most useful way to read Gizmodo or io9 is not simply as a stream of headlines.
A headline tells you what happened. Good technology and entertainment journalism can also help explain why the development matters.
For example, a new AI feature might be technically impressive but raise questions about creative work. A new science-fiction film might introduce a familiar idea in a different way. A new gaming technology might influence how people interact with fictional worlds.
Those connections are increasingly difficult to separate.
For readers, this means Gizmodo and io9 can serve different purposes depending on the question:
- Gizmodo can help explain technology, science, and digital culture.
- io9 can help explain genre entertainment and its surrounding culture.
- The overlap can reveal how technology and speculative fiction influence each other.
That third area is especially useful when a story sits between entertainment and technology.
Common Mistakes When Searching for Gizmodo io9
A few simple misunderstandings can make it harder to find the information you’re looking for.
Mistake 1: Treating io9 as a completely separate current website.
io9 began independently but is now a section within Gizmodo.
Mistake 2: Assuming io9 only covers science fiction.
Its current categories include anime, games, books, comics, television, movies, collectibles, trailers, and other areas of genre culture.
Mistake 3: Expecting Gizmodo and io9 to have identical coverage.
They overlap in some areas, but their editorial emphasis remains different.
Mistake 4: Looking only at headlines.
For complicated entertainment or technology stories, reading the surrounding explanation often provides more useful context than the headline alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is io9 part of Gizmodo?
Yes. io9 currently operates as a section of Gizmodo rather than as a completely independent publication. It retains a distinct editorial focus on science fiction, fantasy, entertainment, and related genre culture.
What does Gizmodo io9 cover?
Gizmodo’s io9 section covers movies, television, anime, books and comics, games, trailers, toys and collectibles, theme parks, reviews, and entertainment culture. Its coverage is particularly focused on science-fiction and fantasy-related subjects.
When did io9 become part of Gizmodo?
io9 became part of Gizmodo in 2015 after operating as an independent Gawker Media publication since its 2008 launch. The integration brought the io9 team and subject areas into Gizmodo while maintaining the io9 identity.
What is the difference between Gizmodo and io9?
Gizmodo is the broader publication, covering technology, science, consumer tech, and internet culture. Io9 is the more specialized section, concentrating on science fiction, fantasy, movies, television, anime, books, comics, games, and related entertainment.
Is io9 still publishing new articles?
Yes. The current io9 section continues to publish new articles across movies, television, anime, books, games, and other categories. Gizmodo’s current staff listing also includes dedicated io9 editorial roles.
Conclusion
Gizmodo and io9 are closely connected, but they serve different editorial purposes. Gizmodo provides the broader coverage of technology, science, and internet culture, while io9 concentrates on science fiction, fantasy, and the wider world of genre entertainment.
The history of io9 helps explain why the section feels different from a conventional entertainment site. It was originally built around the idea that science fiction could help people understand real technology, science, and the future—not simply provide fictional escapism.
Today, that idea remains relevant as technology and entertainment continue to overlap. Whether you’re following a new movie, searching for an anime update, exploring science-fiction books, or trying to understand how emerging technology is influencing pop culture, knowing the difference between Gizmodo and io9 makes it easier to find the information you actually need.
