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Ziff Davis reorganizes, changes review scoring
With the recent departure of Editorial Director John Davison to start-up web portal What They Like, Ziff Davis has done some behind-the-scenes shuffling of the staff behind its gaming properties. According to a press release (partially re-posted on James Mielke's blog), the online and print sides of the operation have been merged together and re-split into three new groups: "Videogames," headed by Electronic Gaming Monthly's James Mielke; "PC games," headed by Games For Windows' Jeff Green; and "Video," headed up by GameVideos' Demian Linn. Each group will funnel content into Ziff's magazines and online properties, including 1UP.com.More apparent to the average reader will be the change to Ziff's grading system, from a 10-point scale to an A+ through F letter grade. The change isn't just on a going-forward basis either -- according to the release, "all previously scored games on 1UP.com will also be converted to the new letter scale." Historical revisionism at its finest!
Joyswag: Free 1-year subscription to EGM magazine
[Update: All gone, folks. Enjoy!]Surely you leave the house and/or office? And perhaps if your phone doesn't support our lovely, lightweight mobile page, you find yourself reaching for the comfortable contours of a print magazine. Something familiar. Something that reminds you of the days when you had little more to worry about than remembering to grab your lunchbox out of the fridge before catching the bus. Something like ... EGM, which has always been there for you.To make sure you're comforted in those dark times, we've buddied up with the good folks at Ziff once again to give away 22,000 45,000 (we went ahead and added some more for y'all) free 1-year subscriptions (US readers only, alas!) to their flagship gaming mag. How free? You won't need to provide your credit card information; your subscription won't be automatically renewed at the end of the year; and you'll need to "opt-in" to renew your subscription before receiving any bill for the magazine. Free. Our way of saying thanks for spending your computer time with us.
PlayStation: The Official Magazine hits newstands in November
Last November, Sony announced the discontinuation of the Official PlayStation Magazine, but it appears it's getting a new lease on life as Sony and Future US announced their agreement on a new magazine – PlayStation: The Official Magazine. The magazine, which will initially have a circulation of about 300,000 copies, will arrive in November."We're very excited to be working with a group that is nearly as passionate about our brand as we are ourselves and we look forward to working with Future on many innovative ideas they have to create a best in class enthusiast publication," said Peter Dille, senior vice president of marketing at SCEA.Ziff Davis, the former publisher of OPM, continues to battle financial issues, so it's understandable Sony's preference to find a more reliable company in Future, which has continued to publish OPM in Europe. Additionally, when Sony made the announcement last year, it said focus would shift to delivering content via PlayStation.com and the PlayStation Store, so we wonder what spurred this change of heart. [via NeoGAF]
1UP explains why Puzzle Quest is so good
Many fans are calling Puzzle Quest one of the best puzzle games to come out in years. The game, which combines RPG and puzzle elements (seriously!), adds a much desired amount of depth to the typically simple Bejeweled gameplay. Watch the latest episode of Not the 1UP Show to see the Ziff Davis editors explain what makes the game so special. You can also download a PSP-compatible version here. [102MB .zip]
Ziff Davis Game Group still profitable but revenue declining
GamesIndustry.biz reports that the Ziff Davis Game Group -- home to publications like EGM and Games for Windows -- has continued to recede, with expectations for the game magazines offset only partially by a growing 1UP. Total gaming profits for Q4 2006 were down to $1.6 million from $3 million in Q4 2005, while the online subset of those totals grew 76 percent.Ziff Davis profits as a whole increased 70 percent over that period, meaning that while the games group is still making money, it's not matching pace with the rest of the publicly traded company. Would the Game Group do better with a new owner?
Ziff Davis games division cost too much?
Doesn't look like the potential buyers for Ziff Davis's games group, which includes EGM, Games for Windows and 1UP, are willing to pay the three times revenue price for the group that Ziff Davis wants. Asking for three times revenue, on a division that brings in mid-$20 million, but still breaks even on earnings is, as one source puts it in Foliomag.com, "Very, very over-the-top."Kevin Gifford explores the sale and the Ziff Davis corporation in his latest Magweasel column at GameSetWatch. Avoiding the pitfalls of dumping on how print is a "rapidly diminishing" presence -- going so far as to say he thinks EGM is doing a "very good job at proving why they should exist." -- he comments more on the turn of events at Ziff Davis. A company which profited from enthusiast publications is finding their business eroding by the ultimate enthusiasts publication tool -- the internet.See also: For Sale: EGM and 1UP
Rumor: MTV acquiring 1UP, adding to their collection
GameDaily.biz reports a "highly-placed" source says MTV is looking to purchase 1UP.com and GameVideos.com from Ziff Davis. This seems probable considering Ziff Davis is selling the Ziff Davis Game Group and MTV has been on a gaming acquisition bender, purchasing GameTrailers, Atom Entertainment and Guitar Hero developer Harmonix. MTV's purchase of 1UP.com would allow them to acquire some gaming editorial clout, and because they already have GameTrailers they can either disband, or assimilate, GameVideos.com.Currently there is no expectation MTV will purchase any of the Ziff Davis gaming publications (EGM, Games for Windows). Revenue in the print publications has been flat and the only reason the game group didn't lose revenue was due to the online sections. Ziff Davis's earnings release states, "Lower print advertising and circulation revenues for the group's three print magazines were mostly offset by a nearly four-fold increase in the group's online revenues." Ziff Davis corporation had cash and cash equivalents drop by $5.4 million through September.These Ziff Davis Game Group stories and rumors have been growing exponentially over the last couple weeks. So, if MTV is only interested in the online portion and they've been keeping the publications afloat -- what's that going to mean for Electronic Gaming Monthly and Games for Windows?
For Sale: EGM and 1UP
Ziff Davis is attempting to sell 1UP and Electronic Gaming Monthly. According to reports, publisher Ziff Davis is actively entertaining offers for a few of its divisions, including the Ziff Davis Game Group, which includes EGM, 1UP, the recently renamed Games for Windows and the recently deceased OPM (Official PlayStation Magazine).Simon Carless of GameSetWatch, who has been following the story, believes, "Ziff might have closed Official PlayStation Magazine a little earlier than they might otherwise have done, in order to make the Game Group more attractive to potential purchasers, who obviously care most about 1UP. Which makes sense, because in most cases (prestige low-circulation magazines such as Edge notwithstanding), circs and revenues in consumer print are only going to trickle down over the next few years."What this sale means is still up for great debate. There is currently no firm buyer and even if the unit is sold, readers probably won't notice a change for a couple years -- if ever. All this means right now is the Ziff Davis Game Group is up for sale, which is just standard business.
MGS:PO enthralls the hearts of 1UP
This week's episode of The 1UP Show features extensive coverage of the beloved Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. If you don't have the game yet, it's probably because it's sold out at your local retailer. Or, you were on the fence. After watching the 1UP gang showcase Portable Ops, you know you'll eventually get this game.
Official PlayStation Mag dead, demo disc the killer?
Just as Ziff-Davis and Microsoft's trembling lips meet for the long, slow kiss that is Games for Windows: The Official Magazine, Ziff and Sony are, like, totally breaking up. They say it's mutual, that all relationships must end ... but we all know who's really to blame. It's that ne'er-do-well demo disc, that's who!With the steady erosion of print readership and the growth of online outlets (like Sony's own ThreeSpeech project who, curiously, keep cribbing from OPM) it's no wonder they've reconsidered their commitment to the world of dead-tree gaming journalism. Coupled with their (about to launch) PlayStation Network, capable of delivering videos and demos -- the very same videos and demos that used to come bundled on DVD with every issue of OPM -- the gimmick has dried up.Increasingly, print magazines rely on these gimmicks to provide extra incentive to read all the gaming news you already read online 3 weeks ago. Game Informer has that infinitely valuable shelf space at the nation's largest gaming retailer while Computer Gaming World had to reevaluate and become Games For Windows. What's curious is why Microsoft not only doesn't see Xbox Live as the final nail in Official Xbox Magazine's proverbial coffin, but they use the magazine to distribute exclusive demos, weeks before they hit Live (see: Rainbow Six Vegas). Maybe, with a 60% attach rate for Xbox Live, they realize there's still plenty of offline 360 gamers who can't get their demos from Live.[Update: The fine folks at Ziff contacted us to "clarify that the 1UP Network -- 1UP.com, GameVideos.com, MyCheats.com, the 1UP Show, our podcasts, etc. -- and EGM will cover the PS3, PS2, and PSP in depth with integrated print, video, podcast, and web features through the holiday season, 2007, and beyond." So, there you have it. Don't think Ziff is axing the Sony coverage, they're just axing the magazine.]Read -- Sony's press releaseRead -- Ziff Davis' press release
Does Sony hate OPM? The answer is yes [Update 1]
Remember when we asked if the Official PlayStation Magazine hated PSP games? Well, it looks like Sony doesn't care much about the magazine either as they announced the magazine's discontinuation today. "With the launch of the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and its full network and Web capabilities, we are focused on delivering content via the PlayStation Network and PlayStation.com website, not discs," said Peter Dille. Makes sense to me. With the newly revamped PlayStation.com and PlayStation Store coming, there's no reason to have a print magazine... especially when the main reason people get the magazine is for the demo discs. The final issue of OPM will be the January 2007 issue. Fans of OPM's editorials need not fret, however. The 1UP team will continue providing editorial content available exclusively for PS3 owners. [Via Joystiq] [Update 1: The European version of OPM will continue. While the US magazine is published by Ziff Davis, it appears that the UK's magazine, handled by Future, will still continue. Source: GI.biz]
Core gamers have heavy impact on economy [update 1]
Definition: a heavy gamer (also known as core gamer) is one who buys eight or more games per year and plays at least 10 hours per week. Correlation: according to a recent study by Ziff Davis Games Group, heavy gamers spend notably more money than casual gamers (those who buy at most one game per year and play five or fewer hours per week). Some relative figures: Heavy gamers spent $710 on clothing over the last six months, nearly double that of casual gamers. That equates to approximately $1,420 annually. Heavy gamers spent $116 on DVDs over the last six months (or $232 annually), while casual gamers only shelled out $64. Similar trends hold for consumer electronics, online music downloads, athletic shoes, and CDs. Conclusion: heavy gamers, by way of their spending trends, have an impact on the economy as a whole. Companies who take notice of the trend will try to cater more to the gamer audience. The effect is a greater push for in-game advertising, but to what extent? Lest they forget, gamers hate in-game ads. Keep in mind that the converse ("those who spend a lot of money buy a lot of games") is not necessarily true. See Also:Picture it: special status for Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii console ownersEconomies of scale don't apply to virtual worlds?Joystiq's coverage on in-game advertising[Update 1: clarified some language in the conclusion.]
Goodbye Computer Gaming World, hello Games for Windows magazine [update 1]
Microsoft, the computer industry giant, and Ziff-Davis, the gaming-mag giant, just sent word that they've joined forces to rip the covers off all future issues of the seminal (and creatively titled) computer gaming mag, Computer Gaming World. In their place will be shiny, new Games for Windows: The Official Magazine covers. And here we were thinking CGW was a creative name! As part of their rebranding strategy, they'll also be renaming the cgw.1up.com site (we imagine to the much more memorable gfwtom.1up.com).Don't worry about the mag's intrepid staff, they aren't being booted on their keisters (just yet), rather "the new magazine and web initiative will carry on the editorial, production and art staff of Computer Gaming World." So this is just branding; Microsoft's goal of marketing Windows Vista as a gaming console continues. Like any "official" magazine, we'll need to reconsider coverage of first-party (in this case, Microsoft Game Studios) properties but, otherwise, CGW already was a Windows-focused gaming mag. But when the oldest video game publication still in existence (founded in 1981) adds corporate sponsorship to their name, you know something's up in dead tree land.[Update: Firing Squad spoke with CGW ... err, GfW:tOM's editor Jeff Green about the situation. They write, "Green also said that their contract with Microsoft states that Microsoft will not have any editorial influence on the new Games For Windows magazine and said that long time CGW readers should trust that will be the case." The last issue of CGW will be Oct. 06 and GfW:tOM will debut in Nov. or Dec. 06.]Read the entire press release after the break.
Will gaming mags go the way of the Dodo?
According to Next Generation, major gaming magazine publisher Ziff Davis (EGM) is exploring the possibility of selling themselves off. Despite rising company profits, its print revenue was down 15%.Online, however, is another story. According to Next Gen, online revenue was up 50% for Ziff, something that makes us wonder what sort of future is in store for gaming magazines as a whole. Because of the boom of the Internet gaming press, are mags really relevant anymore? Do they have anything the majority of the gaming public hasn't already seen, sometimes weeks in advance?Certainly, the future is online media. But how close are we to that actually happening on a wider scale?
Offer for one free year of EGM ends today
"Free" offers on the internet often come with annoying trials and lengthy cancellation procedures, but this one here's legit -- it's actually running from the subscription web site of the publisher of EGM, Ziff Davis Media.You may have seen this offer for 12 free issues of Electronic Gaming Monthly on Joystiq or other game sites out there. Basically, what's happening is the Ziff Davis Game Group is running a subscription drive for the mag, sponsored by the World Cyber Games. Free subs are only on offer through today, however, so get a move on if you want a piece of the printed action.Of course, EGM may be no OPM, but it's helpful for even the healthiest fanboy to get a balanced diet of multiplatform news and information on a regular basis. Also, please note that you're under no obligation to sign up for the World Cyber Games page which follows the EGM subscription one, so you can absolutely get your free mag without registering with the WCG.[Via Joystiq]
