View Full Version : Video Game Magazines, in Print, in America, in 2015
Let's talk names, prices, issues per year, coverage, and quality. Both fan-produced and professionally published are good.
Game Informer
12 issues per year
$15 per year
Mostly new games
High quality
Must choose either a digital subscription or a print subscription - both simultaneously is not an option
Nintendo Force
6 issues per year
$30 for a print-only subscription
New and old games
High quality
Does not include a digital subscription with a print subscription
$40 for a print+digital subscription
$15 for a digital-only subscription
Official Xbox Magazine
13 issues per year
$25 per year
Almost exclusively new games
Medium quality
Does not include a digital subscription with a print subscription
$11 13-issue digital-only subscriptions are also separately available through its Web site
$22 if paid up-front, $26 if paid by issue at $2 per issue, 13-issue digital-only subscriptions available through Google Play Newsstand
$19 if paid up-front, $26 if paid by issue at $2 per issue, 13-issue digital-only subscriptions available through iTunes
$9 per digital back issue
Play Meter Magazine
12 issues per year
$60 per year
Covers arcade and ticket redemption games
High quality
Does not include a digital subscription with a print subscription
$0 digital back issues are available on its Web site - they can be printed and downloaded as well
Some $5 printed back issues are available
PC Gamer
13 issues per year
$20 per year
Almost exclusively new games
Medium quality
Does not includes a digital subscription with a print subscription
$11 13-issue digital-only subscriptions are also separately available through its Web site
$20 if paid up-front, $26 if paid by issue at $2 per issue, 13-issue digital-only subscriptions available through Google Play Newsstand
$19 if paid up-front, $26 if paid by issue at $2 per issue, 13-issue digital-only subscriptions available through iTunes
$20 13-issue digital-only subscriptions available through Amazon Kindle
$9 per digital back issue
Retro Videogame Magazine
6 issues per year
$30 per year
Mostly old games
High quality
Includes a digital subscription with a print subscription
$15 6-issue digital-only subscriptions are also separately available
Wal*Mart Game Center
12(?) issues per year
$0 per issue at Wal*Mart stores, $15 for a mail-delivered subscription
New games only
Average quality, written by former EGM staff
No digital subscription
What others are there? Are there any others?
I remembered another one.
Nintendo Force
---
6 issues per year
$30 for a print-only subscription
New and old games
High quality
$40 for a print+digital subscription, $15 for a digital-only subscription
The Adventurer
04-14-2015, 12:21 AM
Pretty sure RETRO (http://readretro.com/) sees print
The 1 2 P
04-14-2015, 03:49 AM
Official Xbox Magazine is the last of the first party official magazines in North America and is still going strong with 12 issues a year. I'm not sure if the new EGM is still coming out but it's by the same people who put out Walmart's Game Center mag so I figured Walmart was bankrolling their mag(EGM) as part of a larger deal. Last I heard EGM went to either a bi-monthly or quarterly release schedule a year or two ago.
There is Scroll by Ray Barnholt:
scroll.vg
I'm not sure if he's still doing it or not. I heard about it via the Retronauts podcast.
BlastProcessing402
04-14-2015, 06:33 PM
Last I heard EGM went to either a bi-monthly or quarterly release schedule a year or two ago.
If so, then they need to change the name to EGB or EGQ. :p
I haven't seen a single game magazine on the shelves in about a year. Granted, I'm not looking much, and don't get to B&N much anymore (which is the only place I'd seem something like Retro Gamer or other imports if any are still going), but I don't even remember seeing GI in GS when I've been in there anymore. Maybe I just wasn't paying attention.
It's sad, because I used to get stacks of magazines every month, but totally understandable that they'd die out when people can find out about stuff instantly on the internet rather than wait for weeks (or months) of lead time between when a mag can be written and hit the stands.
Nebagram
04-15-2015, 10:52 AM
I haven't seen a single game magazine on the shelves in about a year. Granted, I'm not looking much, and don't get to B&N much anymore (which is the only place I'd seem something like Retro Gamer or other imports if any are still going), but I don't even remember seeing GI in GS when I've been in there anymore. Maybe I just wasn't paying attention.
Bit off-topic I know as you're asking specifically for American mags, but I can assure you RG's still going strong.
Bit off-topic I know as you're asking specifically for American mags, but I can assure you RG's still going strong.
Yeah, if you are looking to the UK, Europe, the Middle East, or India, there are still a ton of quality, printed videogame periodicals left.
WCP: Ray Barnholt announced that the January 2015 issue of Scroll was the last one there was ever going to be. So sorry to say, but Scroll is out-of-print.
The 1 2 P: EGM and EGMi appear to be no longer be publishing new issues. There haven't been any printed issues of EGM since 2012, and EGMi seems to be rerunning old issues as "new" issues. It was both funny and sad at the same time to see an issue from earlier this year, 2015, where the cover touted it as being the "2014 preview issue." LOL Poor, poor EGM. :(
And as far as OXM (US) is concerned... well, it is probably a bad sign when it doesn't have its own Web site anymore, and the publisher (the ironically named Future) is shedding employees and publications left and right. Well, at least Future is doing well in the UK, right?
BlastProcessing402: Game Informer is the best-selling videogame magazine in America. I see it almost every time I'm in a GameStop. They keep the Game Informer issues on the counter so that they can give the current issue to anyone that signs up for a GameStop PowerUp Rewards Pro membership which includes the mag, as the stores and the magazine are both owned by the same corporation.
Here are some more currently active American mags:
Retro Videogame Magazine
---
6 issues per year
$30 per year
Mostly old games
High quality
Includes a digital subscription with a print subscription
$15 6-issue digital-only subscriptions are also separately available
Play Meter Magazine
---
12 issues per year
$60 per year
Covers arcade and ticket redemption games
High quality
Does not include a digital subscription with a print subscription
$0 digital back issues are available on its Web site - they can be printed and downloaded as well
Some $5 printed back issues are available
Official Xbox Magazine
---
13 issues per year
$25 per year
Almost exclusively new games
Medium quality
Does not include a digital subscription with a print subscription
$11 13-issue digital-only subscriptions are also separately available through its Web site
$22 if paid up-front, $26 if paid by issue at $2 per issue, 13-issue digital-only subscriptions available through Google Play Newsstand
$19 if paid up-front, $26 if paid by issue at $2 per issue, 13-issue digital-only subscriptions available through iTunes
$9 per digital back issue
PC Gamer
---
13 issues per year
$20 per year
Almost exclusively new games
Medium quality
Does not includes a digital subscription with a print subscription
$11 13-issue digital-only subscriptions are also separately available through its Web site
$20 if paid up-front, $26 if paid by issue at $2 per issue, 13-issue digital-only subscriptions available through Google Play Newsstand
$19 if paid up-front, $26 if paid by issue at $2 per issue, 13-issue digital-only subscriptions available through iTunes
$20 13-issue digital-only subscriptions available through Amazon Kindle
$9 per digital back issue
Greg2600
04-16-2015, 07:13 PM
Pretty sure RETRO (http://readretro.com/) sees print
Only mag I buy, and in print.
what happened to the reboot of Die Hard GameFan ?
Did that die already ?
what happened to the reboot of Die Hard GameFan ? Did that die already ?
It's on extremely rocky grounds and publishes quite irregularly. It has gone through a lot of staff changes and people quitting. Frankly, I don't think it has a real future ahead of it. I know I won't be pursuing it. You can read more about its bad state of affairs on Wikipedia's article about it.
The 1 2 P
04-24-2015, 01:16 AM
The 1 2 P: EGM and EGMi appear to be no longer be publishing new issues. There haven't been any printed issues of EGM since 2012, and EGMi seems to be rerunning old issues as "new" issues. It was both funny and sad at the same time to see an issue from earlier this year, 2015, where the cover touted it as being the "2014 preview issue." LOL Poor, poor EGM. :(
Actually they sent me a random issue in the mail earlier this year in January. I say random because my subscription to their magazine ended years ago. It was the EGM Presents 2015 Video Game Buyers Guide(not sure if that's what you were talking about because the cover says 2015 and not 2014), one of the $9.99 issues and it's cover stated to display until 3/3/15. This is why I wasn't sure if they were still around. But I remember Tips & Tricks magazine doing something similar when they disbanded the monthly issues and kept releasing quarterly specials for another year or so.
It was the EGM Presents 2015 Video Game Buyers Guide(not sure if that's what you were talking about because the cover says 2015 and not 2014), one of the $9.99 issues and it's cover stated to display until 3/3/15. This is why I wasn't sure if they were still around.
When I found the 2014 preview issue reportedly printed in 2015, I was digging around in the mess that is http://www.egmnow.com/egmimag/, but while looking through there a second time, I found the issue that you mentioned. As I wrote, it is a real mess trying to look through their archive. It appears that regardless of the date for which the issue was printed, EGM's online issue browser shows the date of the magazine issues as the current date according to your computer's clock. But if anyone wants to buy up some recent 99¢ digital back issues of EGM, there you go.
Niku-Sama
04-24-2015, 04:20 AM
don't forget this:
http://www.imaginesubs.co.uk/subscribe-to-retro-gamer
it may be European however there was a print version for the US, I usually see a leaflet for it when you check it out and barns and noble
otaku
04-26-2015, 02:10 PM
I subscribe to game informer and thats it. Pretty good in my opinion worth the money. I also like reading Retro gamer from the UK but can't afford it. The mags keep dying off only a few years ago we still had quite a few. Perhaps I should support some of these but with so many being mediocre...
Gamevet
04-27-2015, 10:03 AM
My sub to Game Informer expired last month. The magazine is okay, but I only read them for about 30 minutes.
I like to pick up Retro Gamer when they are covering old games and hardware that I like.
The 1 2 P
04-28-2015, 06:57 PM
Well Electronic Gaming Monthly is still going. When I got home there was a Spring 2015 Special Issue #4 waiting for me. So I'm guessing I was right that they are following a similar path to what Tips & Tricks and Gamepro did once their magazines stopped releasing monthly issues. They went on to produce bi-monthly and quarterly issues. The main problem I had with that is that they didn't send those extra issues to their subscribers even though some of us still had lots of issues left on our subscription. That's also why I'd never buy another magazine from that jackass Dave Halverson who's currently ripping off people with GameFan. It would also appear that Walmart is continuing to bank roll EGM because of the fact that they produce the Game Center magazine. Even though Electronic Gaming Monthly is still producing issues they really should change their name to something more accurate like Electronic Gaming Sporadically or Electronic Gaming We're Put Out New Issues When We Feel Like It.....Ly.
Even though Electronic Gaming Monthly is still producing issues they really should change their name to something more accurate like Electronic Gaming Sporadically or Electronic Gaming We're Put Out New Issues When We Feel Like It.....Ly.
LOL Well said!
segagamer
04-30-2015, 08:45 PM
Well Electronic Gaming Monthly is still going. When I got home there was a Spring 2015 Special Issue #4 waiting for me. So I'm guessing I was right that they are following a similar path to what Tips & Tricks and Gamepro did once their magazines stopped releasing monthly issues. They went on to produce bi-monthly and quarterly issues. The main problem I had with that is that they didn't send those extra issues to their subscribers even though some of us still had lots of issues left on our subscription. That's also why I'd never buy another magazine from that jackass Dave Halverson who's currently ripping off people with GameFan. It would also appear that Walmart is continuing to bank roll EGM because of the fact that they produce the Game Center magazine. Even though Electronic Gaming Monthly is still producing issues they really should change their name to something more accurate like Electronic Gaming Sporadically or Electronic Gaming We're Put Out New Issues When We Feel Like It.....Ly.
Can you show a pic of the issue's front cover? My last issue was the Winter 2015 Buyer's Guide. I thought I still have a little left in my subscription.
segagamer
04-30-2015, 08:46 PM
When I found the 2014 preview issue reportedly printed in 2015, I was digging around in the mess that is http://www.egmnow.com/egmimag/, but while looking through there a second time, I found the issue that you mentioned. As I wrote, it is a real mess trying to look through their archive. It appears that regardless of the date for which the issue was printed, EGM's online issue browser shows the date of the magazine issues as the current date according to your computer's clock. But if anyone wants to buy up some recent 99¢ digital back issues of EGM, there you go.
I bought one of their 99 cent digital issues, but nothing happened after I entered my info, including my credit card. Was there supposed to be a pop up window or something so I can download it?
I bought one of their 99 cent digital issues, but nothing happened after I entered my info, including my credit card. Was there supposed to be a pop up window or something so I can download it?
I wish I could help you, but I never tried buying one. :-/
The 1 2 P
05-03-2015, 08:44 PM
Can you show a pic of the issue's front cover? My last issue was the Winter 2015 Buyer's Guide. I thought I still have a little left in my subscription.
It has a Star Wars: Battlefront cover and you should be able to find an image with a web search. As for your subscription, what I have learned from experience is that when magazines are about to go out of business some of them start doing special quarterly issues(as described in one of my earlier post) for another year or two. From my experience with Tips & Tricks and Gamepro, even if you have time left on your subscription they will not send you these special issues. It might be different for you but I usually get a letter saying that they are going out of business and that I can either get a partial subscription refund or they can subscribe me to something else. In the case of Gamepro that was PC Gamer so I opted for the refund since I had no interest in that magazine. And then there's the times when you won't hear anything from the publisher, which is what happens when you are subscribed to a Dave Harvelson magazine like Play. He'll cancel the magazine, start a new one and will completely ignore any time you have left on your current subscription and will refuse to put it towards his new magazine.
segagamer
05-04-2015, 03:33 PM
It has a Star Wars: Battlefront cover and you should be able to find an image with a web search. As for your subscription, what I have learned from experience is that when magazines are about to go out of business some of them start doing special quarterly issues(as described in one of my earlier post) for another year or two. From my experience with Tips & Tricks and Gamepro, even if you have time left on your subscription they will not send you these special issues. It might be different for you but I usually get a letter saying that they are going out of business and that I can either get a partial subscription refund or they can subscribe me to something else. In the case of Gamepro that was PC Gamer so I opted for the refund since I had no interest in that magazine. And then there's the times when you won't hear anything from the publisher, which is what happens when you are subscribed to a Dave Harvelson magazine like Play. He'll cancel the magazine, start a new one and will completely ignore any time you have left on your current subscription and will refuse to put it towards his new magazine.
Got it in the mail today!!! However, I was informed by EGM customer service last week that my subscription will end with this issue. Not sure if I want to pay for another 6 issues subscription. I was not even sent any reminders to renew...
And then there's the times when you won't hear anything from the publisher, which is what happens when you are subscribed to a Dave Harvelson magazine like Play. He'll cancel the magazine, start a new one and will completely ignore any time you have left on your current subscription and will refuse to put it towards his new magazine.
Sounds like people have had some problems with this Dave Halverson fellow. If half of what I've seen and read about him is true, he sounds pretty scummy. Perhaps we should call his magazine GameFilth instead of GameFan.
It has a Star Wars: Battlefront cover and you should be able to find an image with a web search.
That's the same one that wasn't a proper issue but was something like top 100 games of 2015 preview wasn't it? If so they must have multiple covers as mine features the new Halo game on it.
The 1 2 P
05-13-2015, 12:10 AM
Sounds like people have had some problems with this Dave Halverson fellow. If half of what I've seen and read about him is true, he sounds pretty scummy. Perhaps we should call his magazine GameFilth instead of GameFan.
That would be a very appropriate name. It still amazes me that anyone buys anything he sells after all the shady business practices he's been a part of.
That's the same one that wasn't a proper issue but was something like top 100 games of 2015 preview wasn't it? If so they must have multiple covers as mine features the new Halo game on it.
They no longer print proper issues, just specials that will last another year or so before they're completely gone from print(unless their Walmart deal allows them a little longer life). They probably did have multiple covers because it does feature the top 100 games of 2015. Interestingly the cover of their last issue(2015 Video Game Buyers Guide) also featured a Halo cover but that one was for The Master Chief Collection.
promediautama
05-13-2015, 12:35 AM
I am the same as another, just buy the magazine
FieryReign
05-13-2015, 02:40 AM
Wait, Game Informer is considered "high quality"?