The New York Times just printed an interesting article pondering the future of print video game magazines:
Noel Goodman subscribes to three video game magazines, but he wants information faster than the magazines can reach his mailbox.
Alexandria Velez, 31, still reads magazines despite the proliferation of Web sites about games.
“I can find out on the Internet information that won’t be in magazines for another month,” said Mr. Goodman, a 30-year-old electrician in Newport News, Va., who took Halloween off to play video games. The magazines, he said, are “always going to lose when it comes down to content. I can get everything online.”
While video game magazine publishers beg to differ, that is precisely their challenge — retaining readers as the Internet grabs their audience and advertisers. Why wait for a monthly mailing when the Web has fresh game reviews, articles and tips on how to beat the games?
[Aside: How much do I love the fact that they featured older gamers in the article? The people quoted were 30 and 31. Officially grown and gaming!]
I can’t say I’m surprised at this news, but I am not thrilled with the death knells for it. As a person who likes to read magazines, I can relate to one of Alexdra’s quotes about magazines being the ultimate portable media. No dead battery issues when reading, and I don’t have to worry so much about eyestrain. Plus, there’s just something nice about the feel of a large paper glossy.
Hearing the gaming mags are struggling bodes badly for many reasons. First they came for my black girl mags, and now my gaming ones? What the hell? It’s going to be rough trying to transition a magazine from online to print, and it will be especially tough if there is not a proven subscriber base. (I, like some of you, would hope that Cerise would eventually incarnate into a print mag…now, I’m not so sure.)
Also, as a game writer cutting her teeth in electronic media, this blows on a whole OTHER level. Despite the fact that digital content is seen as the wave of the future, the reality is that there is still a level of prestige associated with being print published. Being published online does open some doors, but you are not seen on the level as a print journalist who also does online work. So, it’s a wee bit scary to see print media struggling to hold on - it can take years for attitudes to change.
Still, as a gamer, I can kind of relate to the sentiments. Why pay money for a mag subscription when I can get the info for free on a gaming/fan site?
New York Times via Kotaku
