Video Game Collector Magazine...Finished?

[willowmoon93]

Well I have to wonder because of the amount of time that has passed ... is Video Game Collector Magazine finished -- that is to say, dead? Issue #11 doesn't seem to be happening from what I can see. The website is still up but I would have to assume they're done and no other issues beyond #10 will see the light of day. Anyone have any info?

[guitargary75]

They gotta be done. I loved that mag too! Why, why, why?

[otaku]

that is a shame I feel guilty now for never having picked any up or subscribed

[Steve W]

I only ever picked them up at classic game conventions. I think I only have one through four. The magazine was perfect to carry in my car to keep a list of game rarities when I'm thrift store shopping.

[digitpress Jim]

Hello everyone,

I have not heard any word on if Video Game Collector is finished. It will be sad if it is, I loved reading there magazine. The good news is there is a classic gaming magazine I write for called Video Game Trader Magazine www.videogametrader.com which is awesome. Plus there is a classic gaming tv show that I host and produce that ties into the magazine called Video Game Trader TV www.videogametradertv.com Be sure to check the magazine out especially since their are so few classic gaming magazines. Have a good one everybody.

Digitpress Jim

Take Care,
Jim Combs
Staff Editor and Gallery Curator, Digital Press
Staff Writer and Show Host/Producer, Video Game Trader Magazine
www.videogametrader.com

[MachineGex]

I got an email on march 10th saying that issue 11 is going to the printers the following week. I am guessing it never did since that was two months ago. I tried to email them a few weeks back but never got a response. I find it a waste, coulda been a great mag and all they had to do is be up front and keep us informed.

[PingvinBlueJeans]

that is a shame I feel guilty now for never having picked any up or subscribed
I wouldn't feel guilty if I were you...especially considering that half the people who subscribed never got their issues. VGC has/had all kinds of problems.

[carlcarlson]

that is a shame I feel guilty now for never having picked any up or subscribed

Don't feel guilty, they are the ones who drove the mag into the ground.

[Kevincal]

They kinda made me mad when they bashed the Jag in the one issue I bought. :( So I didn't buy any more. ;)

[Aussie2B]

I talked to them about a month or so ago since I was getting a little worried myself, but there's no intention of quitting. There are already some plans laid out for issue #12. I hope #11 comes out soon, but all I can say is that it's worth the wait. Keep in mind that the economy is pretty bad right now, especially for print magazines, and if big gaming magazines like EGM are going under, just imagine how tough it must be to keep a magazine like Video Game Collector going. I know the publisher really appreciates the readers for being patient and sticking with VGC all these years.

[Arcade Antics]

I talked to them about a month or so ago since I was getting a little worried myself, but there's no intention of quitting.
There's a big gap between intention and reality.


There are already some plans laid out for issue #12.
Plans laid out? Plenty of things further along than the plans stage (prototype games, etc.) have never been officially published. Just sayin'.

[MachineGex]

One major complaint is they never update their website. If they are really planning to release issue 11, put a note on the website so people stop wondering what is goin' on. That would take all of 5 minutes. Plus, it would let people now they are still in business.

I wonder if Joe is still contributing to the mag? Wasn't he "price guide editor" or something?

[The 1 2 P]

I really enjoyed this magazine and when they screwed up my subscription they eventually fixed it and appeased me for my troubles. It was and still is my favorite retro magazine and I really wish things would turn around for those guys. They deserve another chance.

[Aussie2B]

There's a big gap between intention and reality.

Well, I mean they're actively working on it. If they had been running regularly up until this point, I'd agree that there would be reason to be suspicious about its future, but there have been many times in which the issues got delayed but still came out sooner or later. From everything I've heard, this is just another occurrence of hitting a lot of roadblocks when it came time for layout and printing.

So I wouldn't stick a fork in it until it's done. :)

[newtype5]

Well, I mean they're actively working on it. If they had been running regularly up until this point, I'd agree that there would be reason to be suspicious about its future, but there have been many times in which the issues got delayed but still came out sooner or later. From everything I've heard, this is just another occurrence of hitting a lot of roadblocks when it came time for layout and printing.

So I wouldn't stick a fork in it until it's done. :)

sorry, but for me they are done. horrible customer service - they screwed up my subscription, didn't apply my address change which i sent them twice, and totally failed to send the last issue of my subscription (#10), and never replied to my emails. i had to buy it elsewhere. they might not be done, but i'm done with them. don't get me wrong - i liked the mag a lot! they just don't seem to care about the customers.

[digitalpress]

I wonder if Joe is still contributing to the mag? Wasn't he "price guide editor" or something?

I am, and like many others I'm anxiously awaiting issue 11. I haven't heard what's holding it up but as far as I know it's still expected to ship.

[videogametrader]

I had a long email typed and ready to go. But as a competitor to VGCollector, I thought it would be just better to say this.

I am sorry for those of you that subscribed and did not get your magazines. I am sure that was NOT the intention of VGCollector.

I wish VGCollector well.

Tom

[c2000]

One major complaint is they never update their website. If they are really planning to release issue 11, put a note on the website so people stop wondering what is goin' on. That would take all of 5 minutes. Plus, it would let people now they are still in business.


QFT. It's a decent enough magazine just so badly managed.

[swlovinist]

I dont see issue #11 happening. It is a bummer, becasue issue #10 was put together pretty well. I feel sorry for those who got their money taken.

[The 1 2 P]

I'm not counting them out until the fat lady sings and Roseanne Barr hasn't put out an album yet.

[Gameguy]

I'm not counting them out until that fat lady sings and Roseanne Barr hasn't put out an album yet.
But she has sung before <shudder>. :(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrFW2aYHVR8

[The 1 2 P]

But she has sung before <shudder>. :(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrFW2aYHVR8

That doesn't count.

[Arcade Antics]

I'm not counting them out until the fat lady sings and Roseanne Barr hasn't put out an album yet.

Incorrect.

http://prod-assets.mog.com/amg/pop/cov200/dre700/e705/e70550ha6lq.jpg

[The 1 2 P]

Incorrect.

http://prod-assets.mog.com/amg/pop/cov200/dre700/e705/e70550ha6lq.jpg

Best two out of three? It ain't over until Oprah Winfrey puts out a musical album laying down all her own tracks.

[adam_devry]

I have #11 and #12 they have is to come out in aug. I got mine at a local block buster How close do you say they are with the prices

[kainemaxwell]

I hope this doesn't go under either.

[boatofcar]

It seems like most classic VG magazines (maybe this is true of all low circ mags, but VG ones are the only ones i pay attention to) are doomed not by low subscription numbers, but by their inability to communicate with the people who do subscribe. I learned my lesson back in 2002? when Classic Gamer Magazine folded. I was never reimbursed or compinsated in any way for the remaining issues on my subscription. From now on, unless a mag has major publication backing, I won't subscribe.

[tubeway]

I had a long email typed and ready to go. But as a competitor to VGCollector, I thought it would be just better to say this.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Tom

Fixed that for you.

[videogametrader]

It seems like most classic VG magazines (maybe this is true of all low circ mags, but VG ones are the only ones i pay attention to) are doomed not by low subscription numbers, but by their inability to communicate with the people who do subscribe. I learned my lesson back in 2002? when Classic Gamer Magazine folded. I was never reimbursed or compinsated in any way for the remaining issues on my subscription. From now on, unless a mag has major publication backing, I won't subscribe.

I can understand your point. And this has been a challenge for us getting subscribers. I think the main difference, with Video Game Trader vs some of the other magazines, is that we are not looking to get rich. I am not looking for Video Game Trader to replace my current "real" job at any point in the near future. I do this for the love of the hobby.

I think some of the mistakes that others have made is investing a very large sum of money hoping for thousands upon thousands of subscribers, and when it doesn't happen, they have no choice but to fold ( or miss issues ).

Because of our business plan we don't have that issue. We plan to grow slowly over the course of many years. Slowly building our subscriber base. So far, so good.

Thanks to everyone that supports our magazine.

[RPG_Fanatic]

I can understand your point. And this has been a challenge for us getting subscribers. I think the main difference, with Video Game Trader vs some of the other magazines, is that we are not looking to get rich. I am not looking for Video Game Trader to replace my current "real" job at any point in the near future. I do this for the love of the hobby.

I think some of the mistakes that others have made is investing a very large sum of money hoping for thousands upon thousands of subscribers, and when it doesn't happen, they have no choice but to fold ( or miss issues ).

Because of our business plan we don't have that issue. We plan to grow slowly over the course of many years. Slowly building our subscriber base. So far, so good.

Thanks to everyone that supports our magazine.

I would try your mag. but $25 for 6 issues is kind of steep looking at your past issues.

[videogametrader]

I would try your mag. but $25 for 6 issues is kind of steep looking at your past issues.

I can understand. Based upon what you see, what else do you feel the magazine needs to warrent the $25 per year price?

[The 1 2 P]

I have more faith in this magazine continuing than I do of Duke Nukem Forever coming out.....even before they fired all the members of it's development team. Hopefully things turn around for VGC.

[ManciGames]

I can understand your point. And this has been a challenge for us getting subscribers. I think the main difference, with Video Game Trader vs some of the other magazines, is that we are not looking to get rich. I am not looking for Video Game Trader to replace my current "real" job at any point in the near future. I do this for the love of the hobby.

I think some of the mistakes that others have made is investing a very large sum of money hoping for thousands upon thousands of subscribers, and when it doesn't happen, they have no choice but to fold ( or miss issues ).

Hey all...it's been a while since I checked in. Browsing through "magazine" threads and saw this.

Tom is right in that there is no large market out there for these mags. When we did Manci Games (Good Lord...was that really half a decade ago??), we did it with a solid business plan in place. We did the market research as we went, and by issue two, the answer was obvious: There just aren't enough people out there interested in paying money for a mag like this. So, even though issue 3 was ready to go, we pulled the plug, were clear about the death of the mag, and I think we were able to refund something like 99% of everyone's remaining sub money (some people fell through the cracks between moves and miscommunication, I'm sure). It just felt like the right thing to do, because the hundreds of subscribers we *did* have trusted in us, and because we had plans for an awesome book at the time and wanted people to be able to trust in the name if the plan ever came to fruition.

The bottom line is that Tom is right to do it "for the love of the hobby." I had neither the time nor money to be able to pull it off without it replacing my "real job" (though I never expected to get rich), which was the only way I could have continued producing the mag. If Tom or anyone else is able to produce a mag as a hobbyist project and are honest about its frequency, then it will likely succeed. VGC had issues because it tried (like Manci Games) to present itself as a professional publication that was sticking to a tight schedule. When that didn't happen, people turned on the mag. It's a good mag...and hopefully they can keep producing it and just be honest with people by saying, "Look, we don't know when the next one's coming, or if it's coming at all, but when it does, you'll like it."

Tom's VGT is like the opposite...he says it's a hobbyist project and then sticks to a tight schedule. Maybe they should consolidate their powers? :)

Anyway...just saw this and wanted to add my two cents as a bit of an insider. It was hard producing a print mag in 2004...I can't imagine doing that now that print mags are dying out left and right. Good luck to anyone who is still doing it... I don't think my iPhone's gaming sites will ever be able to replace paper mags.

-Jaysen

[badinsults]

With the prevalence of the Internet, I don't think print magazines are really necessary anymore. If we look at the excellent Nintendo Age e-zine, they put out a very high quality publication, and offer it up for free. Because they don't have to ask for money or subscribers, it isn't an issue if they miss a month due to lack of articles, or if one month's magazine is shorter than another. And then you look at something like my website, where I publish large (>3000 word) articles, and because it is a web page, I can easily edit and add new stuff. That alone makes a web page better than a static magazine. Although I can understand the appeal of having something in print, the audience for a print magazine is just not there anymore, and even the big name publishers are struggling.

[Ed Oscuro]

I'm hoping that electronic readers get to the point where they substitute for a stack of magazines - similar readability and the like, easy interfaces and clearly readable text (either a large reader page, or an easy to use eye-following tool to scan across pages quickly). Right now, the Internet has to do.