Hi, I’m Rachel Samples, a gaming and content strategist, editor, and storyteller with nearly a decade of experience building digital audiences and leading editorial teams.
Shortly after graduating from UT Austin in 2018 with my degree in Rhetoric & Writing, I got my start in games media as a freelance writer for Dot Esports, eventually becoming a weekend editor in 2019 and then Managing Editor in 2021. As a writer, I covered everything from breaking news on key industry events, to features about the latest Pokémon game, to service journalism like game guides, league standings, and release countdowns. I've also attended industry events like SXSW, DreamHack, and GDC to represent my outlet, interviewing game developers and publishers for original coverage while building relationships with key industry contacts.
As an editor, I've built fully fledged editorial teams in the U.S., U.K., and Australia—hiring, onboarding, and mentoring writers and editors from all walks of life. I've built procedural documentation, style guides, beat lead systems, performance trackers, org charts, evergreen databases, and publishing calendars to better support my team and set clear expectations around deadlines and KPIs. I've also worked across SEO, audience strategy, and editorial operations, with a particular focus on figuring out what makes a story worth reading and how to make sure it reaches the people who want to read it.
In 2025, I took those skills to Destructoid as the site's Editor-in-Chief, where I led a lean editorial team through the rapidly changing landscape of digital publishing. I developed systems for staffing and coverage, helped expand the site's editorial scope, worked closely with writers and editors, and reported audience and traffic data to the company's executive team using analytical tools like Lightdash and Chartbeat. I also managed the site's editorial budget, overseeing spending and resource allocation to balance business needs with staffing, content production, and audience growth.
I’m especially interested in the intersection of storytelling, strategy, and audience. I like digging into the numbers, reflecting on the "why," identifying coverage opportunities, and building systems that help creative teams do their best work. At the same time, I’m a lifelong video game enthusiast who believes good content starts with genuine curiosity about the people, stories, and communities behind the topics we cover.
These days, I’m exploring opportunities beyond the traditional newsroom, particularly roles involving content strategy, communications, editorial development, and creative operations.
When I’m not working, you can usually find me playing League of Legends, reading, lifting weights, or yelling at my two 7-month old kittens to stop tearing up my couch.