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Are Game Guides Dying?

Posted by simoniker on from the alas-poor-official-hints-guide dept.

Thanks to GameSpot for their guest GameSpotting feature discussing whether the print-based game guide is a thing of the past. According to the piece: "As long as there have been games, there have been game guides to help players beat them. Over the years they have evolved into slick, glossy (and thin) books with tons of valuable information and high-quality screenshots and maps... Guides make tough games easier. But are they worth it?" The author references a videogame-store friend laughing: "Why buy a game guide when I can just download the FAQ for free?" Is there any new presentation of paper-based game guides that might make you tempted to pay for them, or are they truly dying out for good?

4 of 93 comments (clear)

  1. Now it's clear to me! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I've been trying to get to the next page of my game FAQ for the last 1/2 hr. Boredom drove me here finally only to find you guys are at fault. Thanks a million :(

  2. Re:The future of game guides by breon.halling · · Score: 3, Funny

    That would suggest 3DR intends to produce their own guide at some point...

    This also suggests that 3D Realms intends to produce a game at some point, too! =)

    --
    "Yeah, well, Dracula called and he's coming over tonight for you and I said okay."
  3. Re:The future of game guides by mrpuffypants · · Score: 2, Funny

    George Broussard of 3D Realms has already talked about preventing third-parties from publishing guides to Duke Nukem Forever, by not allowing them to use screenshots.

    I don't think we have to worry about printed guides for DNF. By the time that that vapor-ware comes out everything shall be delivered in the "plug in the back of head" matrix-style.

  4. Fun with EB Employees! by BigJimSlade · · Score: 2, Funny
    Wanna have some fun at EB?
    1. Buy a game, preferably a newish game that will have a strategy guide available
    2. When asked if you would like to purchase the strategy guide for the game, exclaim to everyone in the store "Why in the world would I want to spend $15 on this strategy guide when I get a better strategy guide on GameFaqs.com for FREE? That's w-w-w-dot-g-a-....

    They've learned not to ask me anymore...