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Print Gaming Magazines Doomed?
Joystiq has a pair of interesting posts up looking at the future of print gaming publications. Besides positing on the future of the print media, they discuss subscription and reach rates for some of the major U.S. magazines. From that piece: "Game Informer really is several times larger than their nearest competitor. How did they manage that? And why the heck is the Official U.S. Playstation Magazine passed around so much than all the other publications?" I wonder what the differences are between here and abroad? In the UK, for example, there are a large number of publications, all of which seem to have avid readerships. (Though, with magazines like Edge and PC Gamer UK, it's hard not to see why.)
That may be true, but print(and other media) will still stay around as long as the consumption of digial media is tied to inconvenient technology. Reading a book, magazine or newspaper is far more pleasent to many, rather than looking at the same text on a computer, pda, etc. It's nice being able to hold something in your hand and take it anywhere without batteries or cords. Outmoded idea? maybe, but it's the truth.
I know Nintendo Power is a special case, but I quit my NP subscription when I was younger when they introduced advertisements. I've toyed with the idea of subscribing again, but the thought of buying a book of ads divided up by the odd game review doesn't really grab me, you know? On the internet, at least, I have the power to block ads.
Modern copyright is theft of culture from everyone and it retards the progress of the useful arts and sciences.
If nothing else, news sources are having to compete to keep readers, but just like audio books haven't destroyed the book market, I don't see people clamoring for the newest Robert Jordan novel in electronic form.
I wouldn't blame schools- schools don't teach children to use the computer to read things, they teach them to use them for word processing, etc.- and print copies. Libraries, with limited computers in most schools, encourage students to print material for later reference (and to open up workstations). Computers are excellent for interactive things, but if I'm reading a 200 page treatise on something, I'd rather have a paper copy I can mark up, take with me on the bus, or read in bed without needing a notebook.
you hit the spot. Most gaming websites don't understand that it's the depth of the articles, not the number of them, that gets the reader hooked. I've noticed a pleasing trend in french gaming magazines who have realised that since they can't beat the gaming websites in bringing the latest information, they can at least beat them at creating interresting content ( actual journalism, not just reposting the latest newz post from ea's website)
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First off, print media will never go away. Certainly, I foresee a reduction in the amount of publications but for the most part, the price, ease and legacy of paper media is far too appealing.
However, for gaming magazines, I have a feeling that most of their content will move to an online medium. Gaming in general implies electronic devices (not including board games). Since the audience is already familiar with technology, moving magazines to an electronic medium makes sense. I forsee that online strategy guides with images and links will be the "soup du jour". Of course all this exists now but will be more prevalent in the future. It's been a while since I have read a gaming magazine and to be honest, the reason I quit was lack of actual depth within the article. Certainly, I don't expect much from a game review or news on the latest hardware but sometimes I want something a little more. The writing in these magazines is severely lacking.
However, just recently, I did find one online magazine that actually had some depth and the writers some talent, The Escapist. Hopefully this is an example of what's to come when the majority of the magazines move online. Something that is not just reviews but actual journalism as well.
Not at all suprised that the UK gaming magazines still have a large and avid readership. When I was a kid, I would pass over US-pressed pap like Vidiot and Electronic Games magazine and get the local WH Smith to import the UK magazines Zzap!64, C+VG and such, the quality and editorial content is about 100% better, funnier and more diverse. The same exists today, in mags like Edge. If the US paper gaming mag industry wants to live, they need more smart writing and lower price tags, and less bulging DVDs of demos no one cares about or they would have downloaded them already.
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