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The Complete Death Of Video Game Publications
- Thread starter GutsDozer
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I was into Diehard Gamefan for their over the top enthusiasm and pretty glossy colors. I still remember their spread on Samurai Shodown and their retrospective on Magician Lord. They still seemed pretty consistent with Neo Geo coverage for new Neo games, even long after Neo had seen its heyday pass.
I actually resented EGM a little, for seemingly just sticking with promoting the mainstream stuff with utter consistency and having such a dominant voice at the time, though they at least gave that one game music award to Viewpoint one year, I noticed, and provided reasonably aware coverage of less popular platforms like the TG16.
But my main mag as a kid was actually Computer Gaming World. Even back then, computer games were more the realm of adults and, though I was a still a kid myself at the time, I respected their more adult approach and general professionalism. They took the subject seriously and it was more like reading a newspaper that happened to be about games. And back then, reading was the main way to be exposed to a variety of games on a variety of computer types, before IBM compatibles had final dominance. I resented Microsoft for buying them out many years later, though I had stopped reading it as regularly by then, I must admit.
I actually resented EGM a little, for seemingly just sticking with promoting the mainstream stuff with utter consistency and having such a dominant voice at the time, though they at least gave that one game music award to Viewpoint one year, I noticed, and provided reasonably aware coverage of less popular platforms like the TG16.
But my main mag as a kid was actually Computer Gaming World. Even back then, computer games were more the realm of adults and, though I was a still a kid myself at the time, I respected their more adult approach and general professionalism. They took the subject seriously and it was more like reading a newspaper that happened to be about games. And back then, reading was the main way to be exposed to a variety of games on a variety of computer types, before IBM compatibles had final dominance. I resented Microsoft for buying them out many years later, though I had stopped reading it as regularly by then, I must admit.
xsq
Thou Shalt Not, Question Rot.,
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That cover is downright scary... wtf is wrong with his face?
cornerstone
King's Dry Cleaner
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I used to subscribe to PSM. Did they ever make it to the PS2 era?
I'd say so: their last issue was for January 2007. I always looked forward to getting their PS2 demo discs. That was really the only reason I kept my subscription till the end, though, as the quality of their journalism and reviews tended to be shit. I remember when they gave Armored Core: Last Raven a terrible score because it was too complicated and they just wanted to play with "cool robots that shoot lasers."
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SpoonyBard
n00b
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Edge is pretty much all I read anymore. It's pretty good, but every time I read it I just wish they'd start making Next Generation again.
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Just picked up this issue of Retro Gamer at the Barne's and Nobel. Not sure how old it is or if it's the most current but it has some cool stuff in it. I had not seen one in awhile so I had to scoop it.
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Someone else mentioned this earlier, I just thought I would bring it up again. RETRO magazine did get funded and the first issue will be coming out this month. it looks like it's gonna be pretty cool. This will be the only US retro game magazine. They have a website coming soon, you can check it out here for now. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/socalmike/retro-the-multi-format-throw-back-video-game-magaz
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Looking forward to it!
scrubsy
Rasputin's Rose Gardener
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I still wish I had my collection of older magazine. The ones I remember the most were Tips & Tricks, Gamepro, PSM, EGM and the official Playstation magazine with all of it's demos. It was such a roll of the dice with the demos. You either got one that kicked ass and you wanted to play for hours or one that lasted 2 minutes and made you want to microwave the disc.
seyismyname
n00b
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If you're into the old style of video game magazines, then there is this one: Game Cave.
Basically, it was a kickstarter funding event for issue 1. I believe you can still order the magazine from the artist's website.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sketchcraft/game-cave-vol-01-fighting-junkies
I love his artwork and kept pushing SNK and KOF a lot but I think SF and MK got more of a coverage.
Basically, it was a kickstarter funding event for issue 1. I believe you can still order the magazine from the artist's website.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sketchcraft/game-cave-vol-01-fighting-junkies
I love his artwork and kept pushing SNK and KOF a lot but I think SF and MK got more of a coverage.
Rig
Tarma's Gun Polisher
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I have 1,000's of gaming magazines in a storage room at home. I was a gaming mag junkie as a kid. Had subscriptions to nearly all common/uncommon US gaming magazines.
Nintendo Power, EGM, EGM2, Gamepro, Gamefan, OPM, PSN, Tips & Tricks, OXM...tons.
Sometimes I grab a random issue just to relive a bit of that "it's here!" feeling.
Nintendo Power, EGM, EGM2, Gamepro, Gamefan, OPM, PSN, Tips & Tricks, OXM...tons.
Sometimes I grab a random issue just to relive a bit of that "it's here!" feeling.
IrishNinja
Kuroko's Training Dummy
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oh man, yeah i love gaming mags! lost too many in a flood down here, i'm still in the process of replacing em. Anyone interested in Retro Gamer should sub and use the code CLASSIC, i think it comes to like $75 a year that way? far cheaper than newsstand, at least. waiting on that Retro mag from kickstarter to get going, should be fun with Parish, Kohler etc on board.
I read the crap out of Game Players in the day but looking back, my favorites were easily Gamefan & Next Generation, a seemingly forgotten book that had the closest ive ever seen to actual game journalism. i picked up the first 4 years or so on ebay recently for like $30 shipped because pretty much no one checks for it anymore, which is kind've a shame. it's crazy seeing interviews with Howard, Kalinske etc where they're getting their balls busted going into the 32 bit era, haha.
to be fair, the man bravely risked it all to tell the world about the terrible blue shadows, but we just weren't ready to hear it.
related: i'm totally hitting up the marketplace sometime (when i can) to see if anyone's selling old issues of Gamefan! PM me if so, i love those things.
I read the crap out of Game Players in the day but looking back, my favorites were easily Gamefan & Next Generation, a seemingly forgotten book that had the closest ive ever seen to actual game journalism. i picked up the first 4 years or so on ebay recently for like $30 shipped because pretty much no one checks for it anymore, which is kind've a shame. it's crazy seeing interviews with Howard, Kalinske etc where they're getting their balls busted going into the 32 bit era, haha.
to be fair, the man bravely risked it all to tell the world about the terrible blue shadows, but we just weren't ready to hear it.
related: i'm totally hitting up the marketplace sometime (when i can) to see if anyone's selling old issues of Gamefan! PM me if so, i love those things.
To be honest with high cartridge prices and the abundance of really crappy games which were available in the market back in the days, making savings by not buying gamings mags was false economics IMHO. Nowadays ofc there is the internet etc. but back then without the magazines buying a new game was like walking a minefield.
cornerstone
King's Dry Cleaner
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I actually miss buying games based on the cover of the box. I liked scanning the giant wall at ToysRus and picking out the flyer. It was a crap shoot, but as a child who only was able to get games a few times a year, I would play those games to death regardless of what Gamepro or EGM said about them.
This wasn't really an option in Europe - in the UK I recall Nintendo was effectively blocking rentals by suing anybody who even tried to go down this road; some Sega games where available for rental through the Blockbuster video rental chain - but that was rather late in the game and only a small selection of titles. THere were video game swaping companies advertised in the video game magazines and I guess thats what some people did when they finished a particular game. Myself, I always really researched / read up on the games I wanted to buy and in effect for all the games I had were A-list titles which got plenty of action even after I completed them,
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I don't know why I didn't think to post this before, but if anyone interested in this thread hasn't already listened to it, you should.
http://alifewellwasted.com/2009/01/23/episode-one-the-death-of-egm/
http://alifewellwasted.com/2009/01/23/episode-one-the-death-of-egm/
Nintendo tried suing left and right here, too. But the rulings were against them most of the time - the most famous case was probably against Galoob, who was able to market the Game Genie.
IrishNinja
Kuroko's Training Dummy
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hadn't heard this one before, grabbing now - thanks!
i wish there was more info on this stuff. as i recall retronauts had one on GamePro and i forget what else, i don't find anyone talking about Game Players, Next Generation or GameFan (maybe Warning A Huge Podcast might?)
xsq
Thou Shalt Not, Question Rot.,
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Wow, yeah, I skipped a lecture today and listened to the first 2 episodes, really worth it. Thanks for posting ALWW up.