Digital Subscriptions to Paper Gaming Magazines - Worth It?

Thanks to GamersWithJobs for its review of digital subscriptions to notable videogame magazines such as EGM or CGW, running down the advantages ("No need to store it at home and you really can't lose it because you can download the magazine as necessary. Unless your wife manages to trash the entire Internet, digital magazines are pretty hard to throw away"), and disadvantages ("No CD/DVD that comes in many magazines these days... Some users will find the need to zoom and scroll as they read a hassle") of the Zinio Reader based digital formats, although for the Baghdad-based reviewer of these digital subscriptions, "getting content otherwise not available in Iraq is a big plus."

Comments

Paper is still cheaper

[superultra]

I somehow received a free Zinio subscription to EGM, and as far as digital reading software goes it's quite well designed. It's intuitive, streamlined, clean, and clear. You can tell Zinio has attempted to replicate the reading process digitally with its turning pages and fold out ads. I was impressed.

That said, when a subscription to the Zinio/digital EGM costs $19.99 and you can easily find a four year paper subscription for under $5, why bother with the hassle? If I subscribe to the magazine, why can't I pay a few dollars more and get access to the digital version as well?

I remember reading an interview with the suits at NetFlicks in Wired a year or two ago. They said it was still cheaper, and practically faster, to snail-mail data on CDs to someone than to provide it over the net. Zinio's pricing proves this hasn't changed.

I suppose the only advantage to Zinio is not having magazines pile up somewhere. Of course, I have yet to find a game magazine that's worth keeping anyway. They're so filled with hyperbolic previews, barely edited junior high level writing, and gratituous screenshots that they're not worth the hard drive space to save them on.

Re:Disadvantages . . .

[Anonymous Coward]

The 'deal' is that it's a learned behavior that comes from fathers and husbands seeking refuge in the one place so forbidding that even a nagging wife/mother-in-law won't bardge in to. (The garage being the close second, but that's generally only an option when there's loud work that can be used to scare them off should they come calling, trying to call your bluff)

Which is why I've considered simply installing a 'reading room', accessible through the bathroom. Shotgun the dump, clean up, and then relax with the 10 minutes of peace and quiet the stench provides -- without having the sanitary concerns.

Paper's not dead... yet...

[h0mer]

I see no incentive to subscribe to something that's being converted from print to digital media. I'd rather subscribe to a website, like IGN. Say what you will about their reviews, but they always have up-to-date news, plenty of pictures and video of the newest games, and there's some actual original content lurking in their Insider section. Plus, for $5.95 a month, it's exactly the same price as that month's EGM or what have you.

Now on the other hand, print trumps digital in a couple areas. For example, coverage from E3. Sure, all the websites have their coverage up as it's happening, but there's soooo much content! I like to buy the EGM or other mag after E3 and be able to leaf through it. When I find something that looks interesting, I can find further details on the web.

Also, it's frustrating when you find a nice site that has infrequent updates. There is a 'zine called Polygon, and while they may not have the most current reviews and previews, their layout and writing style is 'A' material.

Ziff-Davis has the right idea with their website, 1UP. If you check a review for a game, they'll give you the 1Up review, the EGM Review Crew ratings, and possibly the review from Official PS2 or Xbox magazine.

I like gaming sites but print still has intangibles that cannot be replicated on the computer.