It has been a little over a year since the news broke that 1UP.com had been sold and EGM was collateral damage in a new media deal that placed little value in print. Although the sadness of that day impacted thousands of gaming enthusiasts, no one felt the pain of those events more than the editors, writers, designers, and other contributors who had helped create EGM's voice as one of the most trusted gaming publications ever produced.
What very few people realized is that plans were soon underway to resurrect the EGM brand and marry it with new technology to create something different, something better, than what existed before. As the founder and original EIC of EGM (and subsequently publisher during most of the magazine's first decade) the chance to re-launch the title proved to be an opportunity too good to pass up.
It has been an amazing few months since my acquisition of EGM was completed. During that time I've worked with a very talented group to pull together a new company and lay the foundation for what we know will be a successful re-imagining of everyone's favorite gaming magazine. Now that I have an outlet that provides more than 140 characters, I thought I'd give everyone a detailed update on where the new EGM is headed and what's been accomplished since my original announcement that the magazine would be returning:
- I've assembled a group of editors including Dan "Shoe" Hsu and Demian Linn of Bitmob, Ryan O'Donnell and Matt Chandronai from Area5, John Keefer (recently of Crispy Gamer), Brady Fiechter (former EIC of Play Magazine), as well as a number of other high-profile writers and contributors who are bringing their independent point-of-view to the new EGM. There are more editorial announcements to come in the weeks ahead. I'm confident we have assembled a well-versed and respected group of gaming journalists who each excel in their respective fields regardless if it is in print, online, or television.
- I entered into an agreement with Time Warner Retail Sales & Marketing, the nation's largest newsstand distributor, to return EGM to magazine racks and bookstores nationwide with our upcoming April issue. More announcements on this front will be rolling out in the next few weeks including a list of the locations that will feature EGM on their store shelves. Having seen these authorizations I can tell you that EGM has been enthusiastically embraced by our retail partners and will be available at a store near you.
- I know many of you have wanted to subscribe to the new EGM almost from the day it was announced. Believe me, I appreciate your enthusiasm and patience more than you know, but I also wanted to make sure this was done right and didn't want to take anyone's money until we were ready. We're offering two options: 6 print issues and 26 premium digital issues for $14.99 or 12 print issues and 52 digital issues for $24.99. Currently the offer is available only to North American readers but we'll be providing an option for our fans outside the country in the very near future. For those who want this premium EGM experience, including home delivery of the print magazine and access to exclusive digital content in the pages of EGM[i]: The Digital Magazine, just click here.
- A few facts about our upcoming relaunch of Electronic Gaming Monthly in print: From the beginning I felt it would be important to focus on high production values that could match the quality of the writing that I knew our editorial team would deliver. It was my goal to do something that would look and feel special every issue. To achieve this I made the decision to print the new EGM on a heavier paper stock to provide greater reproduction quality and to give the magazine a nicer overall look and feel. After seeing some of the mock-ups in this format I can safely say that it was the right way to go. The screenshots and artwork look beautiful. Upgrading from the light-weight paper used by most gaming magazines, however, carries with it a much higher cost. We've been able to keep this price increase to a single dollar more than the last copy of EGM you purchased on the newsstand. Our new cover price will be $6.99. I think readers will agree that this enhancement in quality is worth it.
- The digital version of EGM is currently in a beta-test mode. There has been a lot of speculation about what, exactly, we're doing on this front and Apple's recent showcasing of it's forthcoming iPad has only fueled interest. What we've designed with EGM[i], however, is much more than just an interactive version of the print magazine. It is an entirely new product that literally brings content to life in ways that print magazines and websites just can't do. It also enables us to go deeper into the stories and profile games in a brand new way. In the weeks to come you are going to start seeing our new digital interface in action, complete with video, audio, downloads and more. It's a complex endeavor that required many months of hard work and, as we get closer to launch, I'll share more specifics (including how it will interface with the iPad and the next generation of tablets).
In closing let me say that a welcome by-product of EGM's return has been the chance to meet with dozens of new friends in the industry as well as thousands of readers who have shown their ongoing interest in EGM on Facebook and Twitter. Your support is very much appreciated. I've done my best to answer all your questions and comments and I welcome any additional ideas you may have -- just send me a note at egm@egmnow.com. I may not be able to answer everyone, but rest assured I will read every message received.
Lastly, I also want to thank the many people from the past who helped contribute to EGM over the years. It has been a great pleasure re-connecting with these old friends and an industry that has grown and matured but still remains the business I came to know well in so many ways.
Stay tuned...
Steve Harris
Publisher
Electronic Gaming Monthly