Game Mags: Are They Worth It?
Written by Kevin Alexander   
Sunday, 04 June 2006 21:13
I hear the internet comes on computers these days! With this magical, wonderful step forward in technology will magazines soon be obsolete? My guess is no, but there are some arguments that could be made for and against gaming magazines going the way of the T-Rex.

Due to their nature, game magazines have a difficult time delivering relevant or current news. Take almost any magazine out there and I guarantee that if you follow the most current news on the internet you’ll have already read 90% of it, even though the magazine has just been published. In the most current issue of Game Informer they're still calling Nintendo’s new console Revolution, not Wii, even though the name was announced over a month ago. This isn't because the people didn't know that it's now called Wii, it's due to their deadlines. The only reason that magazines would be good for news is if you don't have internet access.

Also due to the deadlines, their reviews frequently run way behind those published on the internet. If you're someone who counts on taking a consensus of all the reviews for a particular title, you sometimes have to wait a while for the magazines to publish theirs. At the same time they occassionally have their reviews before any other publication. Which leads me to the next point: exclusives.

The ability to land an exclusive preview or review of a game is the bread and butter for a gaming magazine. They frequently will have the first details of an upcoming or unannounced title along with screens and perhaps some hands-on time. Of course, the bigger game web sites usually pick up all these details shortly after they're revealed in the magazine so there's not as much of a wait.

It might sound like I'm almost completely downing video game magazines but the fact is that I have subscriptions to at least three right now. There's still something immensely appealing about flipping through the pages and seeing the screen shots printed out that the internet just can't duplicate. Also, I don't have WiFi or a laptop so I can't bring the internet into the bathroom with me.

Will I ever stop subscribing to my game magazine? Maybe, but probably not. Regardless of the old news and irrelevance of some outdated facts I still enjoy flipping through and reading them. I guess this is really the only point that matters to the publishing companies.


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Comments (2)Add Comment
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written by Kerv, June 30, 2006
i don't think game mags are a waste at all. you got to remember before the internet gave you the tip and cheats. i can still remember the day i read the gamepro that showed me how to beat tyson in Punch-out.. i still have the gamepro with cloud 4 FF7 on the cover. i use to collect them like comic books you know why? because you get a fulfillment i going cover to cover no way u can get that from the internet.
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written by Jose, May 31, 2007
I know what you mean man, you just look back and remember pretty good feeling, like looking at pictures of you back in the day.

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