Tips & Tricks no more??!

[joshnickerson]

After the whole Nintendo Power drama a few months ago, it seems another magazine is about to hit the grave.

http://kotaku.com/gaming/rip-t%26t/tips--tricks-mag-gets-the-axe-272573.php

I loved that magazine, as well as it's long deceased predecessor, Videogames magazine. And it's got a connection to DP as well, via Collector's Closet (though, it slowly shrank in size over time and soon became repetious)

But I'm even more upset over the shitty way the publishers are essentially firing the staff behind their backs. Uncool.

[Richter Belmount]

Ashes to ashes , dust to dust, this magazine will be sorely missed.

[DreamTR]

=( = ( = (

[Radiac]

That sucks, but it is not unexpected. Over the last year, the magazine has been desperately searching for an audience. With the inclusion of all the new columns, (comics, action figures, anime) the mag has slowly moved away from what made it great to begin with.

Of course that doesn't change the fact that I will miss it when it's gone. Tips and Tricks is one of the few gaming mags that I always seek out when perusing the magazine rack.

[Damaramu]

Hmm.....honestly, I stopped reading when Betty Hallock left. Man she was cute.....

[Eteric Rice]

This is sad. I found this website through Tips & Tricks (I think the owner of DP does the Collector's Closet).

I might go pick up the latest issue, as a last hurrah. :(

[spoonman]

Sorry, I must have missed that. Can someone fill me in?
I am subscribed to NP until the year 2015. They better not stop production! :p

SpooNMan
www.videogameobsession.com

[DigitalSpace]

I had a free sub to Tips & Tricks that ended a couple months back. Collector's Closet wasn't the same after Joe's last contribution, but otherwise, it was a decent mag. But with GameFAQs and the like, I knew it was just a matter of time.

[Oobgarm]

The only reason I really ever read that mag is for Joe's contribution. The Japan section was decent too.

Sad to see it go.

[segagamer4life]

damn I liked that magazine.... I will grab the last issue as well. damnit.

[Jorpho]

After the whole Nintendo Power drama a few months ago

Eh? What's this then?

[Flack]

Tips and Tricks included a small write up on my book Commodork a month or two ago, for which I will always be grateful. I've often wondered how such a mag could compete with the web, where sites like gamefaqs.com have millions of tips and tricks for free.

Didn't I hear that they changed editors just a month or two ago and Kunkel took over? I wonder what happened. I know a lot of people were looking forward to seeing Bill at the helm, and I thought the previous guy (his name escapes me) did a pretty good job too. Bummer. I hate to see anything that adds to the community go away.

[lendelin]

The only reason I really ever read that mag is for Joe's contribution. The Japan section was decent too.

Sad to see it go.

Ditto. I was close to subscribe to the the mag after buying it often in stores when Joe Santulli wasn't responsible anymore for the collector's closet. A very dumb move in my opinion since this column besides others set the mag apart from other magazines. The column from that point on was decent but not enough to warrant a buy. I never subscribed or bought the mag again.

The basic concept of short strategy guides of the mag is a good one albeit anachronistic -- great for the 80s and 90s when NP delivered something similar, obsolete today when for every mediocre game a published strategy guide is offered and additionally the Internet provides the same information.

Today you have to go the route of GameInformer, otherwise I can't see how a print mag could survive.

[T]

Are you F$#&ing kidding me?

I just sent my subscription renewal this morning!!!!




.

[Cav]

Wow. Just wow. This really blows. For starters, in case people didn't realize, Bill Kunkel has been the editor in chief for the past several issues. I thought he was doing a great job taking it in a new direction. The articles were fun to read and not totally geard towards little kids. I don't get why they don't let Bill do the job he was brought in to do.

On a side note I'm REALLY bummed about this because I had a four-page article slated to run in an upcoming issue. It was going to be my first freelance job in print and on a newsstand. Well, there goes that glory.

[sabre2922]

This sucks but its not very surprising.

After the demise of Gamefan all those years ago :( I really havent read any print magazine on a regular basis since then.

I was wondering how this magazine was still turning a profit for the last oh say 6-7 years with all the free websites like Gamefaqs , Gamewinners the list goes on.

I luved Tips and Tricks when I was a teen and still enjoyed the collectors stuff but it really seemed to lack quality content lately anyway.

I guess that pretty much puts print magazines out with me since the only topics print mags like EGM and now even GameInformer like to publish is HALO , Gears of War and the like.

Its nothing but MAINSTREAM FLUFF now as far as video game print magazines go.

The end of an era wich I think ended with magazines like Gamefan anyway.

[BillKunkel]

Tips and Tricks included a small write up on my book Commodork a month or two ago, for which I will always be grateful. I've often wondered how such a mag could compete with the web, where sites like gamefaqs.com have millions of tips and tricks for free.

Didn't I hear that they changed editors just a month or two ago and Kunkel took over? I wonder what happened. I know a lot of people were looking forward to seeing Bill at the helm, and I thought the previous guy (his name escapes me) did a pretty good job too. Bummer. I hate to see anything that adds to the community go away.


Wow. Just wow. This really blows. For starters, in case people didn't realize, Bill Kunkel has been the editor in chief for the past several issues. I thought he was doing a great job taking it in a new direction. The articles were fun to read and not totally geard towards little kids. I don't get why they don't let Bill do the job he was brought in to do.

On a side note I'm REALLY bummed about this because I had a four-page article slated to run in an upcoming issue. It was going to be my first freelance job in print and on a newsstand. Well, there goes that glory.

BILL: First off, the reports that were mirrored off Jeb's ravings in Joystiq, etc. are largely inaccurate. I was brought in as a consultant last fall because T&T couldn't last with all that free content on the web. After looking at the situation I recommended that LFP sell the magazine, since there was an offer on the table. But Larry didn't want to sell and they wanted to know what I'd do if I had to try and save the magazine. I said it had to be brought up to date (the site was a joke and there wasn't even an email address). I felt there had to be a quality website. I wanted computer games covered, and I suggested more "lifestyle" columns (such as Mark Johnson's unique look at game-based action figures, Anatole Brown's Japan Report, Collector's Closet, etc.) and fewer columns based around a single game franchise. Finally, I introduced feature articles on subjects that weren't being covered in the other game mags, like careers in gaming, game colleges, competitive pro gaming, etc. We also got out the first serious coverage of Shadowrun (with tips from and interviews with the developers) and I had just, with the help of Anatole (who speaks fluent Japanese), fulfilled a life's dream by interviewing Nishikado-san, creator of Space Invaders.

But the fact is the magazine just wasn't selling. Within about 6-7 months we reached a point where I was really proud of what we'd done, but the readership was still sliding downhill.

There were no secret deals to fire people while they were covering E3 or any of Jeb's hysterical nonsense. In fact, before I was let go, I urged that the staff be informed of the situation before E3 so they'd have a chance to hustle up new gigs. And I can not imagine people like Anatole, Mark, Chris, Abbie and Geoff Arnold not being able to get work in the industry. And our AD, Lisa Beattie, is the most talented art director in the game magazine business.

I know that serious attempts were made to get better severance packages for the staff, especially for someone like Chris who endured throughout 15 years with LFP and is now a freelancer, but that was Larry's decision and it's his money.

I have no idea what the "Dear John" letter that was supposedly pre-released to the staff refers to since I was running the magazine and no one mentioned it to me. Sure I wish that LFP would have either sold the magazine to a company that was prepared to go all the way with the reconstruction or gone all the way himself, so to speak, but that magazine was kept alive for years after the point where it had stopped making money and was being destroyed by the Internet. Just ask EGM, which is not likely to be here this time next year.

I was personally treated very well at LFP (they let me edit from home for two weeks and then flew me out to LA for a week to work out of the office for almost a year; how many publishers would go for a deal like that?). They paid me very well and were totally supportive of my changes. I am grateful that they gave me a chance to get back in the world of print and I hope the people who feel T&T was just a washed-up codebook get to take a look at the eight issues published this year, because I'm certainly proud of them.

Bottom line, I'll be at CGE and can give you all the whole story. Meanwhile, the upside is that Commodork, which everyone seems to love, got a bump and Cav's story on the best arcades in America will indeed appear in the 150th and final issue of T&T.

[Clong]

I've always liked this mag along with PSM. Just for the sole reason that my cousin had a sub to the magazine for years and always gave them to me once he read them. And PSM becuase back in the day they were only a dollar an issue, I stoped subscribing after the price went up, and after I found gamefaqs.
It doesnt suprise me though, because I havent read either of these magazine since I got a PC and the internet.
I mean a product that is SOLD can beat a product that is GIVEN away. (ex. Gamefaqs and what-not are free)

[Cav]

Thanks for posting the real story, Bill. I still wish your run could have gone a little longer though. You can definitely be proud of your issues. I'm glad I get to be a part of the final one. See ya at CGE!

[zektor]

It's really terrible what is happening to publications because of the internet. I love reading game mags, and it really brings back the good ol' days for me. Not only that, I can't stand surfing the net on the bowl :)

[Slate]

I'm going to miss T&T. It was my favorite gaming magazine. The codes would ALWAYS work and the strategy guides were top notch. I hate looking for strategy guides on the internet, Because it can take such a long time to find a decent guide.

In one of T&Ts recent issues, I read about the game "Escape From Bug Island" Wich I would have never been interested in if I heard about it anywhere else.

T&T Also informed me of the wonderful game Psychonauts, Wich I would have never heard of If I read another magazine.

I never liked EGM. The editors were Playstation fanboys and they disliked games for other systems. Either that or they were jealous. (That is how they were when I read their mag.. I don't know if they are now)

[j_factor]

Too bad, it was a great magazine. I really liked their strategy sections; more compact (and cheaper) than full strategy guides, and way better than GameFAQs.

There were also a few neat little things about it. Like, I remember they used to have those little mini-features at the bottom of the codes. I really enjoyed stuff like the Obscure Game Characters Hall of Fame.

No other mag has anything like Cool Zone and Japan Report. T&T will definitely be missed. They were the only decent gaming mag left. They had a really good staff.

:(

[PSXferrari]

After the whole Nintendo Power drama a few months ago, it seems another magazine is about to hit the grave.

http://kotaku.com/gaming/rip-t%26t/tips--tricks-mag-gets-the-axe-272573.php

I loved that magazine, as well as it's long deceased predecessor, Videogames magazine. And it's got a connection to DP as well, via Collector's Closet (though, it slowly shrank in size over time and soon became repetious)

But I'm even more upset over the shitty way the publishers are essentially firing the staff behind their backs. Uncool.


Don't let Vectorman see this. He'll call Kotaku unprofessional for making Larry Flynt Publications look bad.

[GrandAmChandler]

Don't let Vectorman see this. He'll call Kotaku unprofessional for making Larry Flynt Publications look bad.

Was that necessary? Next time you crap on someone, you are gone. Watch it.

[Flack]

Bottom line, I'll be at CGE and can give you all the whole story. Meanwhile, the upside is that Commodork, which everyone seems to love, got a bump and Cav's story on the best arcades in America will indeed appear in the 150th and final issue of T&T.

I look forward to thanking you in person. :)

Thanks for the info, and let us know what you'll be working on next!

[DreamTR]

I worked at Tips & Tricks for over 8 years and I am sure sad to see it go, but I am not surprised based on the way LFP treated the magazine. They are not exactly business minded as a video game publisher. For this magazine to be as niche as it is, and still have a following, you have to realize the pluses that were mentioned previously.

Everyone talking about the "internet" killing this thing don't seem to realize that strategy guides, full blown walkthroughs with detailed pictures sell VERY well for Prima and Brady. In fact, Beckett has some type of "copy" of Tips & Tricks that they are publishing in Dallas currently. At $5.99, this is still a very good alternative, and is packed with tons of codes that are right in front of your face without having to go to GameFaqs. Sure, GameFaqs is free. So are many things. The newspaper is not dead, it had to change and evolve.

The magazine still has the ability to captivate an audience and can still sell 100K units a month for what it is. The buyer that gets this for pennies on the dollar is going to have to take a serious look as to what he/she can do about getting the same type of content manner back. The writers put their heart and soul into this magazine over the years, and anyone that says the writing was "subpar" as of late really has not picked up a magazine in years.

[bangtango]

I worked at Tips & Tricks for over 8 years and I am sure sad to see it go, but I am not surprised based on the way LFP treated the magazine. They are not exactly business minded as a video game publisher. For this magazine to be as niche as it is, and still have a following, you have to realize the pluses that were mentioned previously.

Everyone talking about the "internet" killing this thing don't seem to realize that strategy guides, full blown walkthroughs with detailed pictures sell VERY well for Prima and Brady. In fact, Beckett has some type of "copy" of Tips & Tricks that they are publishing in Dallas currently. At $5.99, this is still a very good alternative, and is packed with tons of codes that are right in front of your face without having to go to GameFaqs. Sure, GameFaqs is free. So are many things. The newspaper is not dead, it had to change and evolve.

The magazine still has the ability to captivate an audience and can still sell 100K units a month for what it is. The buyer that gets this for pennies on the dollar is going to have to take a serious look as to what he/she can do about getting the same type of content manner back. The writers put their heart and soul into this magazine over the years, and anyone that says the writing was "subpar" as of late really has not picked up a magazine in years.

Very well said.

I never understood the assessment that video game magazines are doomed to fail because of the internet. Using that logic, there are a lot of niche publications out there that should be "dead" because the information is available on the internet for free. Yet many of them keep on keeping on. Saying the internet is the death of all of these different magazines is simply an excuse. It is just one of many factors that leads to a magazine going under.

[MrRoboto19XX]

Man, I'll really miss this mag.

Where have all the good gaming magazines gone?

[James8BitStar]

What's this about "Nintendo Power drama"? I missed that too... and apparently two others asked about it and haven't gotten an answer yet.

Enquiring minds like mine wanna know!

[Slate]

What's this about "Nintendo Power drama"? I missed that too... and apparently two others asked about it and haven't gotten an answer yet.

Enquiring minds like mine wanna know!

I'd like to know what the "Nintendo Power Drama" Is too.

[Cav]

I'd like to know what the "Nintendo Power Drama" Is too.

"Rumor: Nintendo Power Shutting Down"

Source: http://wii.ign.com/articles/788/788281p1.html

May 14, 2007 - Hot on the heels of the news last week that Nintendo of America was planning to move a significant chunk of its marketing and sales departments from Seattle to either San Francisco or New York, IGN has learned that the company may be planning to close or restructure its official Nintendo Power magazine. Sources close to the publication tell IGN that mass layoffs are underway and that employees are being told to look for new work by September of this year.

Calls placed to Nintendo of America for comment went unanswered in time for publish.

Founded in 1988, Nintendo Power magazine has over the years faced an emerging threat from game-focused websites, which have the means to provide more timely news, previews, reviews, walkthroughs and cheats. Even so, the publication has maintained a loyal subscriber base.

Without an official confirmation one way or the other, we're still in rumor territory, but what is undeniable at this point is that the magazine is either undergoing a rebirth of some kind or is on its last legs. Some insiders have suggested that Nintendo Power will continue on, but will be published by a third party source.

IGN will continue to follow the story and update readers with more information as it becomes available.

[hbkprm]

wtf man

[Rogmeister]

Interestingly, I have had a subscription for a long time and it was actually supposed to have expired something like 2 years ago...or even further back than that...but they never stopped sending it. I knew they'd stop sending it soon (especially since I started getting renewal notices again recently) but I didn't realize it would take cancelling the mag itself in order for it to stop showing up at my mailbox.

[BillKunkel]

I'm going to miss T&T. It was my favorite gaming magazine. The codes would ALWAYS work and the strategy guides were top notch. I hate looking for strategy guides on the internet, Because it can take such a long time to find a decent guide.

In one of T&Ts recent issues, I read about the game "Escape From Bug Island" Wich I would have never been interested in if I heard about it anywhere else.

T&T Also informed me of the wonderful game Psychonauts, Wich I would have never heard of If I read another magazine.

I never liked EGM. The editors were Playstation fanboys and they disliked games for other systems. Either that or they were jealous. (That is how they were when I read their mag.. I don't know if they are now)

BILL: You bring up an excellent point here. You see, I felt we could knock out gamefaqs easily by putting up our strategy guides in PDF form (with no magazine-induced limitations on length), placing our massive cheat code database online and supplementing it with actual content.

It's a shame the revamped site that Christa McCarthy created is no longer up because it was a small sample of what we could have done with videos, individually verified cheats and walkthroughs that were professionally written and illustrated with our own screen captures -- as opposed to wading through 20 amateur, unedited, ugly, html-format strat guides.

As for the future of print, that was my reasoning behind the "lifestyle" articles. These were niche areas of considerable interest (from game-based movies, action figs and music to articles on game schools and pro gaming) that I didn't see being covered anywhere else.

You can't beat the Net for immediacy, not with print's lead time, but you can do analysis and many other things that do work better in hard copy format. In fact, our AD Lisa Beattie had what I thought was a brilliant idea: produce an edition of T&T in Spanish.

But by then I guess Larry F didn't want to hear any more ideas for saving the magazine. The sales drop was constant and becoming impossible. You'd be shocked at how few copies were selling by the time the May and June issues -- which were really strong issues -- hit the supermarkets.

I began to seriously wonder if adults were still interested in gaming magazines.

Ah well, I maintained my position with Running With Scissors throughout my LFP employment and am EIC of PostalNation.net. Am currently negotiating with an European game magazine, and still plan to write some new Kunkel Reports for DP. ;)

[Jorpho]

Kotaku has more on this Nintendo Power thing, actually. It's not quite dead yet, but it would seem there are major changes afoot.
http://kotaku.com/gaming/perrin-kaplan/nintendo-power-lives-goes-third+party-263765.php

[Slate]

BILL: You bring up an excellent point here. You see, I felt we could knock out gamefaqs easily by putting up our strategy guides in PDF form (with no magazine-induced limitations on length), placing our massive cheat code database online and supplementing it with actual content.

It's a shame the revamped site that Christa McCarthy created is no longer up because it was a small sample of what we could have done with videos, individually verified cheats and walkthroughs that were professionally written and illustrated with our own screen captures -- as opposed to wading through 20 amateur, unedited, ugly, html-format strat guides.

As for the future of print, that was my reasoning behind the "lifestyle" articles. These were niche areas of considerable interest (from game-based movies, action figs and music to articles on game schools and pro gaming) that I didn't see being covered anywhere else.

You can't beat the Net for immediacy, not with print's lead time, but you can do analysis and many other things that do work better in hard copy format. In fact, our AD Lisa Beattie had what I thought was a brilliant idea: produce an edition of T&T in Spanish.

But by then I guess Larry F didn't want to hear any more ideas for saving the magazine. The sales drop was constant and becoming impossible. You'd be shocked at how few copies were selling by the time the May and June issues -- which were really strong issues -- hit the supermarkets.

I began to seriously wonder if adults were still interested in gaming magazines.

Ah well, I maintained my position with Running With Scissors throughout my LFP employment and am EIC of PostalNation.net. Am currently negotiating with an European game magazine, and still plan to write some new Kunkel Reports for DP. ;)


I'm shocked that you quoted me. I wasn't expecting to be quoted by you!

You know, The first issue of T&T That I purchased was the August 2003 Issue, Wich is the issue that featured pictures of darryl's collection, Wich fascinated me and got me into collecting games.

I was hoping to get pictures of my collection in the Collector's Closet article, But that will never happen now.

[PSXferrari]

Was that necessary? Next time you crap on someone, you are gone. Watch it.

Right, what was I thinking joking around about the Mods? That's sacred territory, and I apologize for not realizing that you guys are immune to that.

I wasn't crapping on anybody, I was just joking around, but whatever. Chill out.

[kainemaxwell]

And another classic bites the dust...

[exit]

I remember Tips and Tricks, I never really read it tho, I was more of a Videogame magazine fan. Man that was a great magazine, which kind of disappeared without me even noticing.


I wasn't crapping on anybody, I was just joking around, but whatever. Chill out.


Awww.....looks like someone was put in timeout. It was only a matter of time man, I'm surprised it took this long actually.

[Lady Jaye]

Not a timeout. More like a "you ran out of time permanently". Or "You're the Weakest Link. Goodbye."

[Kitsune Sniper]

When does the last issue come out? This magazine was actually SOLD in my hometown but I always ignored it. Might as well buy the last issue so Flint knows people CARE about what he's killing off.

[Fuyukaze]

I dont know if it was anything against the mag itself or more with how I tended to avoid the vast majority of gaming mags in general, but I never even read T&T. Looking back at it though, I wish other gaming mags would go away before it. I think many could agree as well.

[Daniel Thomas]

I feel sorry that T&T has folded. I'm amazed that it's survived as long as it had. Wasn't it only supposed to last for one or two issues way back then? It's a testament to the brilliant writing and content of everyone involved.

For me, this was the last link to that videogame past, the era of VG&CE and Electronic Games and the fanzines. I always appreciated the fact that T&T pulled writers from the zine crowd, like Ara Shirinian and Pat Reynolds and, of course, Joe Santulli. I don't think we ever truly achieved our dream of the "professional game fanzine," but Tips & Tricks came the closest.

I also think Bill Kunkel is right on the money as far as Gamefaqs is concerned. It's dominant for one simple reason - it's the only player. Instead of a comprehensive game database, I frequently find something that's half-finished, poorly assembled, and cheaply produced. It's designed like a website from the late '90s, not this decade.

The idea of pdf strategy guides, or at least moving away from the endless scrolling text, is long overdue. Heck, do away with those antiquated faq's anyway. They don't help me nearly as often as they should, and very rarely for anything more than one console cycle in the past.

I do think the prozines, as they've existed for the past decade or so, are doomed to extinction, but that's because of their poor content. Then again, I don't know if a market for a real videogame magazine exists yet. You'd think consumers would be more grown up by now, especially now that games are finally accepted as part of our pop culture. You never have to deal with those insulting "I let my kid play this game" articles in magazines and newspapers anymore.

So why isn't the public being served? Why does it seem like the existing prozines are targeting the same kids who read MAD and Spider-Man comics? It's still far too juvenile, still far too corporate, and still far too obsessed with the hype machine. They're catering to children who obsess about their wish lists to Santa.

Fortunately, the internet provides us with far more options than ever before. I'd prefer to see this as our opportunity. The loss of print isn't always a bad thing. Perhaps this media - games - is better suited to an interactive format like the internet. Games journalism is more commonly pursued, and many of us are still working out the kinks, just as videogames are still fairly young. And the arrival of Virtual Console and Live Arcade (and their peers) will finally bring all of videogaming history together. We won't be forced to deal with what's new, new, NEW!!! We'll have choices, and that's going to have a profound impact on things.

Hmm...now that I think about it, this really is the new golden age of videogames. It's never been better. Now we just need the media to really address it.

My endless thanks to Bill Kunkel and everyone at T&T for their many years of dedication and service. Here's hoping you manage to pay the bills without taking a crummy day job. You know, like me.

[Daniel Thomas]

As an aside, I'm surprised by Bill's statement about EGM meeting an untimely demise. I'm not aware of circulation numbers, but I've always assumed that they've remained successful. They're probably the best games magazine overall right now, and it's actually good reading every once in a while. But maybe that's just aging loyalty. Whatever.

Still, is there talk of EGM going under? I can't imagine that it would. What would that leave then? Game Informer, which is published by the retail chain here in the Twin Cities? Play, Dave Halverson's latest incarnation? There are a couple others I can't name, but they seem really, really cheap. Would that leave us only the UK imports?

[Fuyukaze]

As an aside, I'm surprised by Bill's statement about EGM meeting an untimely demise. I'm not aware of circulation numbers, but I've always assumed that they've remained successful. They're probably the best games magazine overall right now, and it's actually good reading every once in a while. But maybe that's just aging loyalty. Whatever.

Still, is there talk of EGM going under? I can't imagine that it would. What would that leave then? Game Informer, which is published by the retail chain here in the Twin Cities? Play, Dave Halverson's latest incarnation? There are a couple others I can't name, but they seem really, really cheap. Would that leave us only the UK imports?


EGM the best gaming mag left? I'm laughing but that's a scary thought. Game Informer is a horible mag I must admit. It always ranked up there with Gamepro in my opinion. I'm still a bit bothered over Nintendo Power. It wasnt much better, but atleast at one time it gave very good in depth walkthrus of games released for their systems. Sometimes they'd even cover games that didnt get released untill much later then originaly planed.

[MarioMania]

That's sad..

[BillKunkel]

As an aside, I'm surprised by Bill's statement about EGM meeting an untimely demise. I'm not aware of circulation numbers, but I've always assumed that they've remained successful. They're probably the best games magazine overall right now, and it's actually good reading every once in a while. But maybe that's just aging loyalty. Whatever.

Still, is there talk of EGM going under? I can't imagine that it would. What would that leave then? Game Informer, which is published by the retail chain here in the Twin Cities? Play, Dave Halverson's latest incarnation? There are a couple others I can't name, but they seem really, really cheap. Would that leave us only the UK imports?

Obviously, I'm not privvy to the numbers, but Z-D is clearly dumping as much content as possible onto 1UP and unless I'm mistaken, there was no blow-in subscription card in the latest EGM. That would mean death by attrition -- run out the string on existing subscriptions and then dump it. Ad sales also appear to be dropping.

Hey, I briefly wrote a Game Doctor column in EGM and Sendai/Decker published the 90s reincarnation of EG, so while EGM has never been a big favorite of mine, they've done some good things over the years and I like a lot of Dan's work. I thought the PS3 tomato-shot cover really took sac and was the kind of good edgy that EGM can accomplish at its best.

Game Informer stays alive by attracting ads with its massive readership, which is to say everybody who rents a game in North America gets a free sub. That business model even killed off LIFE Magazine eventually, so I don't know how long it will work for GI, esp since pretty soon game publishers are going to start wondering if it's worth generating advertising for one magazine.

Hardcore Gamer is still around and may even pick up at least one of T&T's more attractive staff members. Gamepro, well, I won't even attempt to explain how that's still around.

It does seems as if gamers have stopped looking at the magazine stand and, even if they haven't, they can get game coverage in WIRED, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, ROLLING STONE, etc. since gaming now IS part of the mainstream.

Unfortunately, as the mindless reprinting of a blog rant by a T&T freelancer who had no knowledge of the situation on sites like Kotaku and Joystiq demonstrates, online game journalism still has a long way to go, as no print magazine on Earth would have parroted that jive without checking with Chris Bieniek or me first.

Anyway, I still like reading material I can take into the bathroom with me.

[ProgrammingAce]

It seems like the guy from newsweek (who's name i won't even try to spell) gets most of the "exclusives" these days...

[Promophile]

I'm guilty of not paying for a game mag since the 90's. As much as some of you are slamming gamefaqs, they have an edge over "professional" game sites: user generated content. With no deadlines to worry about, users can take months to make sure their guides cover every feature in a game.

The vast vast majority of game mag guides/official strat guides just aren't in-depth enough. With the exception of some DoubleJump guides, I have ALWAYS found errors / missing info. It's not always the fault of the authors: they have to rush these guides to market in very short time periods, so it's no suprise that things are left out, but it's still damn sloppy. What I'd give to get ultimania guides translated!

With guides out of the way, the only thing mags can offer are features / news. sites like kotaku get me game news much faster than a game mag could. So that leaves features. Currently Mags seem to have the best features, but it's only a matter of time until they're antiques. the move to 1up.com is probably the smartest move Ziff could've made. It'll only be a matter of time before EGM is phased out.

The only reason I've picked up mags in the last 5-10 years has been for demo discs, so if sites like 1up.com could work deals out with the companies, I'd be happy to pay a fee for exclusive features / demo discs mailed to me. I think that this is where the future of game publishing is.

[Daniel Thomas]

What I like about reading magazines, apart from physically holding something in my hands, is the ability to read more comprehensive articles, something more in depth than the hype machine. It seems that that's really the sole domain of games writing in mainstream publications these days. Yes, I'm glad that you're plugging Grand Theft Auto, but what about something else? What about the games culture itself, or its history?

I know that magazine publishing was hit especially hard in the last recession (which many of us have never really recovered from), and the fact that we're a country that simply doesn't read is a glaring problem. But I'm still puzzled at why there isn't a better outlet for videogames. I'm not going to miss the current paradigm, but I'd be greatly disappointed if all the prozines disappeared forever.

I'd still rather read the zines. They were always better. The basic fundamental question - how to write about videogames, and what to say - have never been properly answered.

[Fuyukaze]

I'd still rather read the zines. They were always better. The basic fundamental question - how to write about videogames, and what to say - have never been properly answered.


This is one thing I have to agree with completly. I've not bought an actual subscription let alone an issue of a gaming mag in over 5 years. Why? Because the way reviews are handled. Often times the reviews are done with a biased edge twords certain companies, often will overly criticize a game for minor flaws, or even pump a game everyone already knows will be a sucsess at the expense of everything else. They throw away objectivity in favor of comprimising their integrity. Yes, it's game reviews. I get that. The problem is, for all the bitching and crying from the gaming comunity at large over how companies refuse to grow up and release mature content, reviewers on the other hand have yet to do likewise. It doesnt look as if it'll ever change though. Untill then, I dont see gaming mags getting much growth.

[bangtango]

Magazines give off a more personal feel to me than a web site. I'll just use EGM as an example. Name a random game that gets reviewed by a few guys in EGM around the same time that a place like Gamespot or IGN reviews it. Whether or not a magazine or web site gets a kickback or advertising dollars for a review doesn't come into the equation when I'm reading it. I can get enough from most any review, good or bad, to make up my own mind.

When I read that review in EGM, Nintendo Power, Game Informer, Gamepro or an older magazine, I think of it as a person having reviewed the game. Fair review or not, I don't always associate the review with that particular magazine and damn them for a poor review. When I see the same game reviewed on some larger internet site that covers games, I consider it a review by the web site and not a person. It feels more impersonal to me.

Guys writing for magazines may give unfair reviews, poorly written reviews or reviews that are anything but a review. Yet I am more accustomed to reading reviews by a person in a magazine than I am on a web site. Sometimes the magazine review is a lot better or at least more fair, see below.

Typical budget priced PS2 RPG:
-EGM guy: "5.5 out of 10. The storyline, graphics and spells are cool, if you're living in 1995."
-Established Web Site: "This game sucks and the graphics look like first generation PS1 graphics. Nothing new."

[Aussie2B]

While I can't claim to have a lot of experience with reading Tips & Tricks, I still must say I've very sad to hear this news, especially what with all this talk of recent improvements (I'll have to remember to rectify my inexperience and pick up some issues in the future).

Seems like more and more bad news keeps coming for video game journalism, and I can only hope that some good will come out of it. Maybe it'll be a wake-up call for some publishers and writers to act more professional and credible and start offering better content. Maybe we'll see a revival of gaming magazines in the future when people realize their aren't enough choices left anymore and the internet can't replace everything. Sometimes things are free for a reason. Sometimes getting news and getting it now isn't enough.

Personally, I think the best feature of a gaming magazine is the passion and talent of the writers. If they don't have those traits, the magazine has got nothing. Few things make me happier than reading a truly well-written article on gaming, whether it be a review, special feature, strategy section, or whatever, and don't get me wrong, there are some fantastic amateur writers online but they're hard to find. Unlike other arts like drawing or music, writing is something that nearly everyone in the Western world can do in a literal sense, but very few have the skill to make it an art, despite that everyone and their brother thinks they can. Trying to find a decent review on GameFAQs can be a very disheartening, nauseating experience. It's like finding a needle in a haystack. Sites like HonestGamers are far more discriminating, but the best writers tend to not be especially prolific. I think the largest factor of that problem is that these brilliant writers tend to have, well, real lives. They're adults that have responsibilities with families, jobs, and college, so putting a lot of time and effort into writing an entertaining, informative, and accurate piece purely out of the kindness of your heart (when it might not even be appreciated) isn't always possible. When writers actually get paid for their work (or at least get published), it gives them an opportunity for their writing to flourish. Or, at least, that's how it SHOULD work out.

But getting back to my long-winded point, magazines benefit from that their writers tend to be people that love games and want to write about them so much that they go beyond just putting a thing or two up on a web site to making a career out of it. How many contributors on GameFAQs actually take their work so seriously that they intend to make it their career? Not that many, and those that do are among the few truly talented that will one day realize that can't keep working as hard as they do for no compensation.

[NESviper]

Not a timeout. More like a "you ran out of time permanently". Or "You're the Weakest Link. Goodbye."


No, Exit had it right when he said "time out". Username bans and IP bans are only effective up to a point. But a time-out is in order and perhaps I'll be back in a few months and cause a few less problems.

The sad thing about it though was the timing of the ban. If I was banned while causing a problem in the Tengen Tetris topic it would have been completely understandable. However, it makes you look bad when you only banned me when I questioned the authority of the Mods. No moderators or admins jumped in to tell me to "shut up" when I was apparently causing a problem in the Tengen topic. However, an admin was on my back the second I made a joke about a Mod. If anything, the Mods should be willing to handle more heat themselves than the regular posters.

And this is something that you guys need to examine in how you handle things. There's no problem with being very strict in how you handle problematic members-- in fact, it's part of the reason why these forums have worked so smoothly over the years and avoided trolls and spammers. But along with that good reputation, this site has also developed a reputation outside of DP of having Mods with big egos who think that they are untouchable by regular posters. In reality, you're no better than anyone else and you're just here to facilitate everything. Don't take your job any more seriously than that. I know you may say that you "don't care" what outsiders think, but it's always to the board's benefit to attract new members, not scare them away. Oh, and it also doesn't look very professional when a Mod is making a joke about banning someone.


Several members will likely come to your defense here, and they may be right in what they say. But that isn't the point. The point is the PERCEPTION you've achieved OUTSIDE of DP, not the reality of what goes on. And incidents like don't help that perception. With all that being said, Mods are welcome to ban this Username and IP now too. I won't be needing them. Time to go sit in the corner and think about what I've done.

[Richter Belmount]

http://www.members.tripod.com/~Son_Struck/pmmf/starspangled.mid


No, Exit had it right when he said "time out". Username bans and IP bans are only effective up to a point. But a time-out is in order and perhaps I'll be back in a few months and cause a few less problems.

The sad thing about it though was the timing of the ban. If I was banned while causing a problem in the Tengen Tetris topic it would have been completely understandable. However, it makes you look bad when you only banned me when I questioned the authority of the Mods. No moderators or admins jumped in to tell me to "shut up" when I was apparently causing a problem in the Tengen topic. However, an admin was on my back the second I made a joke about a Mod. If anything, the Mods should be willing to handle more heat themselves than the regular posters.

And this is something that you guys need to examine in how you handle things. There's no problem with being very strict in how you handle problematic members-- in fact, it's part of the reason why these forums have worked so smoothly over the years and avoided trolls and spammers. But along with that good reputation, this site has also developed a reputation outside of DP of having Mods with big egos who think that they are untouchable by regular posters. In reality, you're no better than anyone else and you're just here to facilitate everything. Don't take your job any more seriously than that. I know you may say that you "don't care" what outsiders think, but it's always to the board's benefit to attract new members, not scare them away. Oh, and it also doesn't look very professional when a Mod is making a joke about banning someone.


Several members will likely come to your defense here, and they may be right in what they say. But that isn't the point. The point is the PERCEPTION you've achieved OUTSIDE of DP, not the reality of what goes on. And incidents like don't help that perception. With all that being said, Mods are welcome to ban this Username and IP now too. I won't be needing them. Time to go sit in the corner and think about what I've done.

Freedom.....Freedom!












Sigh too bad the banned party cant see my sarcasm v_v.

[RetroYoungen]

I do enjoy the occasional Tips & Tricks issue, though I've never been big on codes. Japan Report and the Collector's Corner were great articles, and I bought it simply to read the two of them (and occasionally flip through the Final Fantasy article).

'Tis a shame, it was fun while it lasted.

[DigitalSpace]

I guess PSXFerrari must have had a trade in the works for a 2600 and some games or something.


this site has also developed a reputation outside of DP of having Mods with big egos who think that they are untouchable by regular posters.

Wow, I didn't know that ShenmueFan had his own forum.

[The Brown Eye]

That's too bad, I thought it was a good magazine. I liked the tournament report feature and all of the other little things they did to make the magazine stand out.

Funny story - I used to shoplift around ten years ago and the only time I got busted was for stealing a copy of Tips & Tricks. Yeah, I was a dumbass, but at least I wasn't punished with writing the guide for Superman 64.

[ProgrammingAce]

The issue i've always seen in game mags is content. The entire industry is insanely secretive, most developers don't want you to know how games are made. They have legal agreements with the console manufacturers limiting what they can talk about.

Until a game is locked down, developers rarely want to talk to the press about it because everything is subject to change.

Add to that the fact that the industry is cyclical. There are very few releases in the summer months and very little else to talk about. I always wanted to see a game rag drop the reviews and go to bi-monthly. Cover the industry itself.

There's no arguing that the internet will be able to do cheat codes, reviews, and walk-throughs faster (and sometimes better) then a print publication. Focus on the strengths of the reporters, interview game devs, follow trends in the industry.

Video gaming is a 37.9 billion dollar industry. If you can't find anything interesting to write about then your just not trying hard enough. Leave the internet to what it's good at, user created content. Take the high road and do what print is better at, reporting.

[bangtango]

Well, I can't say I read Tips & Tricks every month because I prefer to buy the periodical code books. However, I went into my local movie rental shop yesterday and found the Tips & Tricks issues for May, June and July on their magazine racks. I grabbed all three of them and will read them over the next couple of days. Too little, too late but I guess it is one extra person reading the last three months of hard work from the T & T staff. I should try buying some of the magazines a little more often to help keep them around but I'll admit I always think that when another one disappears.

[GizmoGC]

I loved the Collectors Closet and Japan report....thats all I really looked out.

[PentiumMMX]

I'm guilty of not paying for a game mag since the 90's. As much as some of you are slamming gamefaqs, they have an edge over "professional" game sites: user generated content. With no deadlines to worry about, users can take months to make sure their guides cover every feature in a game.

The vast vast majority of game mag guides/official strat guides just aren't in-depth enough. With the exception of some DoubleJump guides, I have ALWAYS found errors / missing info. It's not always the fault of the authors: they have to rush these guides to market in very short time periods, so it's no suprise that things are left out, but it's still damn sloppy. What I'd give to get ultimania guides translated!

With guides out of the way, the only thing mags can offer are features / news. sites like kotaku get me game news much faster than a game mag could. So that leaves features. Currently Mags seem to have the best features, but it's only a matter of time until they're antiques. the move to 1up.com is probably the smartest move Ziff could've made. It'll only be a matter of time before EGM is phased out.

The only reason I've picked up mags in the last 5-10 years has been for demo discs, so if sites like 1up.com could work deals out with the companies, I'd be happy to pay a fee for exclusive features / demo discs mailed to me. I think that this is where the future of game publishing is.

Yeah. Official guides tend to have missing info (*coughOfficialGuideForKingdomHearts*), but the guides on GameFAQs (And sometimes other sites) will have the info. I'm working on my own guide for Zelda: Link's Awakening DX (And also a guide for Zelda: Ocarina of Time, but it's not online yet), and even with the lack of pictures, I still think I wrote a good guide (Expecially since the other guides have huge walls of text, while mine is broken into multiple paragraphs)

[swlovinist]

I liked the collectors closet....but it wasnt enough. I am still looking for a mag that writes to me. GI is the closest. EGM is bad these days. Mark another one up in the growing casualities this year.

[BillKunkel]

I liked the collectors closet....but it wasnt enough. I am still looking for a mag that writes to me. GI is the closest. EGM is bad these days. Mark another one up in the growing casualities this year.

I don't by any means wish to sound sarcastic, but I am genuinely curious to know what sort of content the current magazines aren't providing for you. What are the subjects, categories, whatever of that the magazines aren't catering to? Do you feel sites like Gamespot speak to your interests?

Thanks for participating in this poll. :)

[Flack]

Several members will likely come to your defense here, and they may be right in what they say. But that isn't the point. The point is the PERCEPTION you've achieved OUTSIDE of DP, not the reality of what goes on. And incidents like don't help that perception. With all that being said, Mods are welcome to ban this Username and IP now too. I won't be needing them. Time to go sit in the corner and think about what I've done.

Not to (further) derail this thread, but if the PERCEPTION OUTSIDE of DP is that the mods here don't put up with moronic behavior and that keeps people away who are afraid of a forum that doesn't put up with stupid bullshit ... I can live with that.

For every dopey message like this that gets posted in the forums I get 10 PM's thanking us for cleaning up the forums.

[DreamTR]

The majority of gamers these days want the following (not necessarily in this order)

News
Reviews

These are two things Tips did not provide, but they genuinely attached themselves to the needs of a niche crouwd that wanted strategy guides at a much cheaper than $15 Brady and Prima book rate, "bang for your buck" so to speak.

However, and I have been feeling this way for years. Take the strategy guides out and the codes along (as a regular codebook) will sell just the same. Fact is people just weren't reading the magazine anymore, and the majority of people that used to read it have no idea what the content is like anymore.

I like to see reviews on new products, Japan Report, things like that. Pencil Puzzles were cool, and at one time this magazine was the number one video game magazine at Wal-Mart (who is notoriously family friendly), but it was in the best interests of the "suits" to decide that where your revenue comes from (ads), you need to give away to the "kid" look of the magazine, which iis precisely why it was selling so well in the first place. Since then, it's been kind of a hybrid of all sorts of things making it difficult to figure out the magazine's direction.

[swlovinist]

I would love to see a magazine have some balls and review a game without the "shielding" that goes on these days. It is convenient that many so so titles get reviewed a month after the game is released, after 75% of the public has gone out and has decided for themselves to buy it or not. I guess I am looking for a magazine that has more umph than what is provided. Too much of current magazines is advertisement and fluff, not to mention reviewers that admit that they dont or havent played the original of a series before reviewing the "sequel" or "remake". I dont want half baked comic book strips. I dont want cooperate tie-ins that cover up how bad games are really. I dont want reviews that are biased. I have always liked the number system EGM used, but ablosluetly loathed when the went to the "gamer discussion" review mode. Like DreamTR, I want news, and reviews. Even an early opinion on games in development I think would be helpful. I just think that many of the rags today are kind of lost on who their audience should be.

[bangtango]

I don't by any means wish to sound sarcastic, but I am genuinely curious to know what sort of content the current magazines aren't providing for you. What are the subjects, categories, whatever of that the magazines aren't catering to? Do you feel sites like Gamespot speak to your interests?

Thanks for participating in this poll. :)

Things that appeal to me:

1. A free/bonus disc (demo disc for a specific system or content for your PC).

2. Game reviews that are more than a couple of sentences or a few numbers.

3. Exclusive interviews with game developers or company heads that can't be found on your web site or other people's web sites. I mean an interview where readers don't see it until the magazine hits the newsstands, as opposed to having all of the good "quotes" leaked a day or two after it is really done.

4. Some regular acknowledgement of homebrew or independent efforts and reviews of Japanese imports (instead of just advance previews or a couple of screen shots).

[FVJVMVP]

I saw the same article and it said that 149 may be the last issue. That turned out to be bull since I recieved a sadly Collector's Closet-less 150th issue at my front door. Still, I think the termination of T&T is plausible, if not imminate.

Too bad, I would've liked to see it's 200th issue :(

[slapdash]

No, it's done. I've been talking with Chris Bieniek, and 150 is the last issue.

[BillKunkel]

No, it's done. I've been talking with Chris Bieniek, and 150 is the last issue.

T&T has been officially cancelled as of several weeks ago but will continue to issue the Codebooks (mostly the cheat stuff) for the immediate future. I'm not totally sure what the schedule will be but it may be simply a methiod to clear up the outstanding subscriptions.

It's interesting that the two things I hear referenced with regard to what people want in a magazine are news and reviews, neither of which T&T did. When I came on board late last year, I saw no reason to add either since the game sites, while much less dependable in many cases from a journalistic perspective, provide news MONTHS before the magazines can. I could see no reason to compete in this area, just as I felt more reviews were the last thing in the world gamers needed, especially given the lead time issue. Instead, we expanded the Previews section where at least we weren't being squashed by our lead time.

Game journalism has now reached a point where game companies are literally evicting online journalists from press events before demo'ing their game(s) and the print people have to sign NDAs to embargo their coverage until the company's approved date.

I have always believed in "Dirty" Harry Callahan's maxim that "a man [or magazine] has to know his [or its] limitations." So in making over T&T I went for areas that weren't being given extensive coverage elsewhere -- game schools, pro gaming, how to get a job in the business, etc. Game-wise, we also gave the most extensive coverage of Shadowrun of any magazine (as I recall, EGM couldn't decide whether they liked the game or not when they got to play it close to deadline and wrote that they would wait a month before deciding, eventually giving it a thumbs up).

But if what you want is mostly news and reviews and are online, why do you care if there are ANY print game magazines?

Again, thanks for the input, tho I'm intrigued by the fact that than no one responded to the question as to whether the top game sites do a good job of satisfying your wants and needs.

[bangtango]

T&T has been officially cancelled as of several weeks ago but will continue to issue the Codebooks (mostly the cheat stuff) for the immediate future. I'm not totally sure what the schedule will be but it may be simply a methiod to clear up the outstanding subscriptions.

It's interesting that the two things I hear referenced with regard to what people want in a magazine are news and reviews, neither of which T&T did. When I came on board late last year, I saw no reason to add either since the game sites, while much less dependable in many cases from a journalistic perspective, provide news MONTHS before the magazines can. I could see no reason to compete in this area, just as I felt more reviews were the last thing in the world gamers needed, especially given the lead time issue. Instead, we expanded the Previews section where at least we weren't being squashed by our lead time.

Game journalism has now reached a point where game companies are literally evicting online journalists from press events before demo'ing their game(s) and the print people have to sign NDAs to embargo their coverage until the company's approved date.

I have always believed in "Dirty" Harry Callahan's maxim that "a man [or magazine] has to know his [or its] limitations." So in making over T&T I went for areas that weren't being given extensive coverage elsewhere -- game schools, pro gaming, how to get a job in the business, etc. Game-wise, we also gave the most extensive coverage of Shadowrun of any magazine (as I recall, EGM couldn't decide whether they liked the game or not when they got to play it close to deadline and wrote that they would wait a month before deciding, eventually giving it a thumbs up).

But if what you want is mostly news and reviews and are online, why do you care if there are ANY print game magazines?

Again, thanks for the input, tho I'm intrigued by the fact that than no one responded to the question as to whether the top game sites do a good job of satisfying your wants and needs.

I'll give you my honest opinion as a (video game) print magazine reader since 1987 or so.

Web sites may provide most news items long before a magazine but that doesn't mean the magazine should be ignoring the news completely. Running news items weeks after they have posted online is better than not running them at all. So what if the content is a little bit late when your magazine drops into homes or at a grocery store rack? You don't drop out of a race or marathon just because a few guys are half a mile and 3:30 ahead of you. Think of any big story from the past few months, we'll say Sony dumping the 20-gig PS3 or Microsoft extending the warranty on the 360. I agree that a large percentage of the readers you would cater to may have already read it online or heard it from a friend. However, you can not assume that everyone who makes up your target audience knows this stuff.

A man has to know his limitations and I don't have all day to read news on Gamespot, Kotaku or most other sites. A decent magazine condenses all of the important stories into one print publication and you'll find these stories spread throughout the magazine. When looking for news online, I usually have to try several sources to get one simple piece of information or wade through a ton of stories I don't care about just to get stuff I want. So the only news I ever get on the industry are from these forums or print magazines because I just don't have the time and energy to surf all of the major gaming sites. I'm a busy guy during the week. Getting a lot of the "good stuff" I really need to know in a magazine saves me a lot of time web surfing and is more convenient, even if I am reading "news" that is a few weeks old.

[JSoup]

I'm curious as to if a collected work of the old Arcade Brigade strip will be produced. I'm sure there is a little money to be made there.

Outside of that, I never really got T&T after I got an internet connection. Although, I did start buying them when Pencil Puzzles started running. It's like Picross for dummies.

[j_factor]

Tips & Tricks did do some news at one point. I still have an old issue somewhere in my house, from early '99, that had a section titled something like "Last Minute Gaming Information". That particular issue had a lot of information about Dreamcast -- including some things that weren't mentioned on other gaming news sources -- as well as some info on PSX games and a little bit of N64. It wasn't much (like two pages), but it was nice, because it seemed like an "alternative press" of gaming, due to the stuff that I wasn't hearing about anywhere else. Aside from that, of course, there was always some news in the Japan Report.

I really liked the Cool Zone section of T&T. Now that is something you don't really see on game sites -- Pac-Men (ramen), Parappa "high tech" plushes, crazy crap like that. Maybe I'm even more of a nerd than everyone else, but I love seeing that kind of stuff.

So, to answer Bill's question, what do I want in a gaming mag? Well, for starters, what T&T had -- mini strategy guides, previews, Q&A/letters (which is a given), Cool Zone. The guides and cool zone are two great things that no other mag offered. I don't really care about cheats, and especially in the age of the internet it's probably unnecessary to have cheats in a magazine. But the guides weren't like guides that you get on GameFAQs, and I think those guides were probably the #1 thing that kept T&T afloat for as long as it was.

You know, T&T had these things that I liked, and yet I wasn't subscribed to it.... I guess it just never compelled me. To be fair, I've never paid for a magazine subscription in my life. Cheapness may be part of it. I think T&T could've been improved by having more writing -- it had a great staff, and I really liked whatever bits of writing it had. Maybe the more recent issues have addressed that; I must confess I haven't paid attention to it for a couple years.

I would like a magazine with some really in-depth informational articles, similar to Hardcore Gaming 101. Even though that's a site that offers such articles for free, I would probably pay for a magazine with that kind of writing. That might only be useful for a magazine dedicated to classic gaming, though... I would also like to seem some really analytical writing, similar to Insert Credit, but perhaps less crazy. IC-style reviews in a magazine would be interesting too, although they wouldn't be able to be timely. Interviews are also great, even though everybody does interviews.

Another feature I think would be very interesting would be an in-depth look at a canceled game. But, again, that may only be appropriate for a classic gaming mag.

Maybe classic gaming nuts aren't the right people to ask about what would be good in a gaming magazine.

[RetroYoungen]

In response to your question Bill, I'm also one who'd like to see some obscure information in a magazine. Not just reviews and previews and news and what every other publication can offer, but something that makes it stand out... maybe a little bit more on what's going on gaming-wise in Japan, reviews of obscure games (like bing the mag to discover Katamari Damacy or something equally as... strange, yet lovable), commentary as to how the industry might evolve in the near (or distant) future by people involved in it, or more about weird-ass (yeah, I said it) game-related memorabilia...

Basically what everyone else DOESN'T cover. Even covering a fun new arcade game would be something worth reading, given the scene as of late. Try to stimulate the arcades in some way once again (like the article in 150, "The Coolest Arcades In America", which I thoroughly enjoyed. Gotta love the freelancers!). I definately think the diverse array of new articles was a good way to go, as it offered a taste of something different. It made T&T stand out more in my eyes.

But taking out The Collector's Closet altogether... I just about cried. It's always the first thing I turn to. But The Download Den was acceptable to hold me over... kinda... because of the old-school goodness dropped into it. This is a classic gaming board, and I am posting here... shows what I'd like to read a bit, eh?