Are Gaming Magazines Going To Die?

Ignoring all the downfalls of the Internet, its proven to be a valuable resource more than anything, becoming the preferred method for gaining information. As Internet usage grows, magazine circulations dwindle. According to a quote from the NY Times, PC Gamer had a circulation of 300,000 in 2003, but has since dropped to 200,000. Future US, its publisher, also noted a 10.4% revenue drop for all of their magazines between 2005 to 2006. Things are not exactly dire, but dropping numbers are hard to ignore.

I personally subscribe to eight different magazines, four of them being gaming-specific. I personally enjoy kicking back and reading well-written editorials and articles instead of being hunched around a bright computer screen all of the time. Not to mention it makes great bathroom material! (For reading!!) I’d hate to see magazines reach a point where they are cancelled in far greater numbers. Remember Tips & Tricks? Next Generation? Computer and Video Games? Atari User?

To keep print subscribers, Ziff Davis aims to offer better writing and reporting than is available from competitors’ Web sites, as well as striking visuals. Ziff Davis is also embracing the financial power of the special issue: a September issue that came out before the release of the blockbuster game Halo 3 for the Xbox 360 from Microsoft included a 19-page feature section.

Source: New York Times