When I was a little boy gamer I would spend a bit of my allowance on Electronic Gaming Monthly a great little gaming magazine. Unfortunately, young gamers will never understand what the industry was like twenty years ago. In a time before the Internet, the only place to get gaming news for a young kid was a glossy magazine. Today, EGM closes its doors and we’re losing a historic piece of gaming history.
Granted, there were other glossy magazines prized by young boys too, but we were old enough to purchase Electronic Gaming Monthly, now known as EGM by the hip and cool. Although EGM was founded in 1989, many adults between the age of 29 and 35 probably spent their youth flipping through the pages reading the reviews and editorials.
The days of the magazine are drawing to an end for many industries, with video game websites covering everything from truly hardcore to highly niche, we all demand our information as soon as possible. If a company like Ziff Davis is selling its properties, we want to know the minute it is announced, when 1UP is purchased by UGO we want to know the minute the ink dries. Why? Because we can.
January 2009 marks the last issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly. After Hearst Corporation (owner of UGO) purchased 1UP from Ziff Davis it was announced that EGM would be seeing its last issue. Sure, there was a chance this would occur without the acquisition as well but the sadness wouldn’t be any different. We’re sure the staff will find a great home writing for another publication or in the online world, but it is sad just the same.
Along with the sad news of EGM closing, we’ve heard a number of folks at 1UP have also been effected by Hearst Corporations purchase of 1UP which has many people out of a job during tough economic times. There has been rumor the 1UP podcasts being ditched as well, but we have heard nothing official yet (please comment with official stories if you hear).
Of course, 1UP is “officially” rejoicing at the news but we know this is part of the “smoke and mirrors” that is an acquisition. A few, now former, 1UP folks have been using twitter and game forums to voice their own “opinions” of the purchase.
This is a rough economic time for many people, printed magazines, online publications and others. The only shining light is knowing many of these individuals will find new places to call home or start brand new online publications to compete against their old company. Talent will not go restricted, they will no doubt group together to form new aged publications to show off why the big boys are flailing in the dark.
We wish them all well in their efforts to find success.
Micheal Pachter Gives E3
@The Old Republic of “warping kids” with pro-gay message:
… something tells me that being gay is not an acquired taste, so I have my doubts about “warping”.
@Rumor: Next Harmonix project being released on XBLA, PSN, and Facebook
You know what? I’m gonna call any game/genre that requires a new/dedicated controller a fad.
I don’t care about fads. Next!
@ extreme sports videogames back to prominence
Dunno. People who like extreme sports will just do the sports.
@SNK brings Neo*Geo back as a handheld
Emulators, people, emulators. Apply the right filtering and you can play it on pretty much on any resolution.
Paul, I’m not making names up. Worst case, I spell them badly.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prypiat
If you can’t figure out a good question of the week, you can use this one: “What would be a good question of the week?” 😉
“You know what doesn’t exist in the Star Wars universe? God.”
touche Jonah!!
Actually, there’s a reason there’s no question of the week, and it’s not because I couldn’t think of one. You’ll see.
There’s a reason for no question of the week? I’m anxious to know what’s coming up in episode 250, I wonder what could be that special in a podcast.
@Vita: I’m just going to repeat last week’s comment which didn’t get posted: No surprise here to me. I knew that the PS Vita was going to have a rough launch no matter how good they say it is. It has to appeal to the masses and have good software for it to sell.
sup .i really missed 2 episodes and this new one, just came here to say that oliver lance and oliver are the same. @special 250th episode I really hope that you could get derrick and jennifer in the podcast coz I really miss em…still downloading this episode
Sup.
@=The Old Republic of “warping kids” with pro-gay message . I mostly disagree with lesbians and gays coz I am a christian myself and i have been wanting to punch gays on my class BUT its not Biowares fault coz its how you allow your kids its your parents fault if they allow you to play those “gaymes”
@PS Vita continues to struggle in Japan
Now this is what happens if you make a portable console then you smash all the good things together ,I MEAN wth its like a DS on steroids
BTW oliver and oliver lance are the same .I wish the special would be Derrick and Jennifer hosting the show