Computer Games Magazine To Shut Down

Gamasutra is carrying the sad news that the second-oldest PC gaming magazine is to shut down. TheGlobe.com, owner of Computer Games Magazine and its sister, MMOG-specific magazine Massive, has apparently opted to shutter the outlets as a result of financial troubles. They were saddled with a judgement by a California court in connection to a series of spam messages that went out across the MySpace social site. An SEC filing stated that the company stood to lose at least $40 Million; these shutdowns appear to be the direct result. "Calls to TheGlobe.com's Florida-based publisher Jayson Dubin, also the publisher of CGM and Massive Magazine, were not returned as of press time, with more recent calls to his direct line getting an automated recording indicating that the number had been disconnected. Besides Computer Games Magazine, TheGlobe.com also operates two other wholly-owned subsidiaries: voice over IP solution prover Voiceglo, and online game retail outlet Chips & Bits."

Seems to be a trend

[Sciros]

This isn't the first gaming magazine I've seen go (or announce going) away. I guess it just isn't cost-effective enough to operate a gaming magazine nowadays. Sites like Gamespot, IGN, etc. are probably proving to be just too much competition. Perhaps eventually gaming magazines altogether will go the way of the dinosaur.

That's ok with me, personally. I like magazines for their exclusive screenshots and such, but otherwise they really are redundant with respect to the internet. Nowadays the only mags I find worth looking at anymore are automotive or graphics design mags. The former I subscribe to because they're cheap and have decent writing about pretty cars (and better photos than I see online). The latter are just a good resource for learning how to use graphics software, even though they are way overpriced (especialy the British mags). Plus, girls dig the graphics mags lying around. Not so much the Gamepros.

Re:Seems to be a trend

[thesupermikey]

I used to be a regular reader of Computer Gaming World and PC Gamer, but ones broadband came online in my area, it no longer made scene to keep getting print mags. Gamespot, and IGN covered all the same things that the print mags had, but the Demo Disk was by far the major reason i kept getting them. However, with broadband, i no longer even needed the demo disc.

While the mags will be missed, the internet is far better of a medium for game journalism than print.

Progress

[6-tew]

It's progress. I still read some gaming and computer magazines, mostly because I like the writing and they are easier to take to the can. The whole notebook on the can thing is awkward and uncomfortable, so it the stare I get from my wife when she sees me heading to the can with a computer... or PDA... or cellphone. She's really quite old-fashioned I now realize.

When I was in college we had this great discussion about the relevance of print media in the 21 century. This was in 1999 so we had to guess. My professor thought the best the traditional outlets could end up doing was being relevant in newspapers. Magazines would inevitably loose out because of delays going to print (which the web is immune to) and cost.

He also made two other good points. Newspapers don't need batteries, neither do books and magazines. A good point, to a point -- no doubt technology will soon provide a solution. Also the "old guard" has the money to hire the good, known writers who can try for higher quality. This approach would suffer over time, new talents would emerge, old talents fade; ultimately this is a bandage solution.

Savvy outlets have built their online outlets up in the hopes of being ahead of the curve. Ultimately we don't really loose anything, we get the same thing from somewhere else. Like trading up from dial-up to cable, same service, better package.

I am so sad...

[Giolon]

This is the magazine that got me started reading video game magazines when I was a kid. I first received a complimentary issue as part of an order from Chips & Bits, since my brother and I had to order our PC games from there being that our small town had no computer store. It's consistently been the highest quality magazine over the past 10 years that I've had a subscription, with the best articles, the reviews I trusted most, and some of the most interesting columns I've read. While I've picked up and dropped subs to other magazines, mine to CGM has been constant. Now, I'm very sad. :( I hope to see the mag's staff pop up elsewhere.

Who gets the money?

[Anonymous Coward]

I didn't RTFA all the way through, but if Myspace gets 62 million, does any of the end users who actually received the spam and may/may not have been influenced get compensation? Or does it all go back into Myspace pockets?