Since I've recently begun to succumb to the whole Twitter phenomenon, I've gotten a few useful tidbits of information from the select few people who I follow. One of these is Larry Herb, a.k.a. Xbox Live's Major Nelson, who is a fairly prolific communicator of all things nerd. Thanks to the Major, and later in greater detail from Gamespot, I got a shocking bit of news before I could even have my first cup of coffee this morning: Electronic Gaming Monthly is no more.
Apparently, EGM's parent company has been acquired by a company called UGO Entertainment, which doesn't seem to care that EGM has been the premier gaming magazine for almost 20 years. For almost as long as I can remember, I've wanted to write professionally for this magazine; the motivation to do this was one of the main factors in my decision to return to college to finish my B.A., which I completed this past May. Thanks in part to EGM, I'm now a college graduate. Thanks entirely to UGO Entertainment, I'm now a college graduate with a smashed dream of writing for a gaming print magazine.
While the news is still too new to have many details floating around, I'm going to guess that the main argument for this tragic news will be that Internet gaming sites have rendered print gaming mags obsolete. Indeed, the Net has been eroding traditional print media audiences for years now due to the convenience, low cost, and agility of "virtual" media; being a technophile in the extreme, I can absolutely see this, and in most cases, embrace it. The problem with this, however, is that any d-bag with a little HTML knowledge and a basic command of language can put whatever they want on the Net (look at me, for example), while publishing a magazine like EGM (last reported total copies printed per issue: 780,711; previous year: 806,791) requires a serious amount of money, time, and effort, which theoretically should lead to a higher quality publication to ensure a sound return on the company's investment. Print mags still command greater respect than web sites, at least for the time being, and as the videogame industry seems on the cusp of gaining the popular respect that it has so long deserved, the death of its premier print magazine is all the more unfortunate.
On a more selfish note, that also means a few dozen more writers with professional experience and contacts who are looking for jobs in the same field as me during the worst time in decades to do so. Thanks again, UGO!
Seriously, though... Thanks to everyone at EGM for years of great coverage in my favorite industry. You will be sorely missed. Good luck to you all.
