IGN Entertainment and GameSpy Industries, on Thursday said they will merge to create a company offering gaming news, information, downloads, data services and community features. San Francisco-based IGN and Irvine, California-based GameSpy, both of which are privately held, said the deal is expected to close in the first half of 2004. IGN Chief Executive Mark Jung will be CEO of the combined company, and GameSpy Chairman Mark Surfas will be chief strategy officer. Both the IGN.com and GameSpy.com brands are expected to be retained after the deal closes, the two sides said in a statement.