Tips & Tricks Magazine gets shafted, editorial staff laid off

by Jared Rea { Jun 26th 2007 at 6:10PM }

One could make an argument that the writing's been on the wall for the plus thirteen year veteran of the magazine scene, Tips & Tricks, but not like this it wasn't. The story, as told by freelance contributor Jeb Haught, is one of shameful deceit and not at all deserved of the publication.

Thinking that they would be off attending E3, head honcho and porn-peddler supreme, Larry Flynt, planned ahead to lay off the staff this week while off promoting the magazine. So harebrained was this plan that Larry Flynt Publications sent "dear john" letters to Tips & Tricks freelancers a week early, thus spoiling the plot before it even had time to hatch.

Now very much aware of the situation, Tips & Tricks staffers will spend the rest of this week -- their last week, emptying out desks and picking up the pieces. Having spoken to those behind the magazine, fights for severance pay are true and everything else is touch and go.

Tips & Tricks may continue as a semi-regular cheat depository, but honestly, what good is that?

[Update - Sorry, we're dyslexic. Thanks, cntli!]

Tags: breakingnews, tipsandtricks

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jared @ Jun 26th 2007 6:09PM

Before the internet boom, Tips & Tricks played a key part in the arcade scene during the 90's. Without Tips & Tricks, those in the competitive scene would have been out of the loop on the latest happenings such as tournament results, play tests and more.

It was always amazing to open up the new Tips and Tricks and see shots of your favorite arcade, players you had only heard about and games that may have not heard of were it not for their magazine.

It's easy to brush it off due to the girth of codes, but really, it served a purpose and it did it well.

C. Grant @ Jun 26th 2007 6:12PM

*pours a little out for tips & tricks*

Norm @ Jun 26th 2007 6:22PM

That bastard, he did the same thing to Big Brother Magazine. Bought it out, and shut it down. Telling people they were going to be sent on editorial road trips, events, people were still making plans. I had good friends that were screwed by LFP.

Gavin @ Jun 26th 2007 6:40PM

Great, one crappy, worthless, and poorly slapped together game magazine down. Now can we have Larry buy GamePro and pull the same stunt? That would make him my hero.

Ben @ Jun 26th 2007 6:40PM

A hole I loved tips and tricks. I just renewed it gods sake. I have like 60 issues on my shelf. One of the few game mags I actually read. I hope everyone can find a good job quick. People need time to line up a new job before a lay off. This is bs.

Mr Khan @ Jun 26th 2007 6:46PM

I think they did a good job back in the day when i cared about cheats in games (and also before i had broadband, when surfing the internet was a pain in and of itself)

Their features were pretty good, but this kind of business practice is some of the most despicable kind

Game magazines are losing their relevance, because even when they have exclusives, they wind up getting leaked and ruined (great example, the NiGHTS 2 furor back in March, by the time those magazines that had hinted about their exclusive control over some long-awaited sequel actually came around, everyone already knew, NiGHTS 2 was coming)

Ratchet the Lombax @ Jun 26th 2007 6:47PM

It was good in it's day but that day has come and gone, it's time to move on now. With all the different gaming websites and places such as gamefaqs and gamewinners does anyone read these things anymore? I can get codes or whatnot anytime I want instead of waiting for a magazine to come out once a month with outdated information.

Zsavior @ Jun 26th 2007 6:53PM

I know it is not meant to be funny but I laughed out loud when this debacle started by him sending the letters out to early. Crap how is this man a millionaire is the porn business really that much of a no brainer.

Princess Cowboy @ Jun 26th 2007 7:22PM

I have always believed in the value of print and I find this deeply saddening. I have issues of magazines dating back to my childhood that I still read and enjoy. To me, that makes print magazines priceless.
But let me share something else that's priceless: Not having the common sense to Google search when E3 actually occurs. Sometimes the internet is really useful.

Mr Khan @ Jun 26th 2007 7:22PM

@ Zsavior
Duh. Any person with any semblance of a sex drive can make pornography. They don't even have to be normally sexually adjusted, because there basically is porn for everything (legal or otherwise)

DiGi ArT @ Jun 26th 2007 8:39PM

Oh well, print is dead.

BPM @ Jun 26th 2007 11:03PM

Aw, too bad. Tips & Tricks was one of the magazines I used to enjoy. I particularly liked their sections on culture and Japan.

Oh, well.

Silvercube @ Jun 26th 2007 11:04PM

As a big fan and devout reader of Tips & Tricks, this news made me cry.
Everyone might be forgetting that not everyone has internet....
And I love reading things in print and getting magazines in the mail. I cant stand reading video game news online, I love to hold it in my hands, and be able to turn the pages at my own pace, and BE ABLE TO TAKE IT WITH ME WHEREVER I GO.
I will be sending a letter to LFP.

BPM @ Jun 26th 2007 11:07PM

Aw, too bad. Tips & Tricks was one of the magazines I used to enjoy. I particularly liked their sections on culture and Japan.

Oh, well.

ManekiNeko @ Jun 26th 2007 11:20PM

Chris Bieniek is a talented editor, and a really nice guy on top of that. Although I'll miss Tips and Tricks, I don't think he'll have too much trouble finding future work.

Shame on Larry "Chicken Fricker" Flynt for putting an end to the magazine before giving its writers adequate time to prepare for the layoffs!

JR

sheppy @ Jun 27th 2007 11:44AM

"As a big fan and devout reader of Tips & Tricks, this news made me cry."

I think you have bigger problems than a magazine closing.

I agree with others on this thread. Tips & Tracks was an overly specialized magazine. I'd used it in the past to spare myself the horrors of a $25 strat guide but with no predictable way of knowing what they are and are not covering, subscriptions were a tad of a risk. With such a narrow focus and reading about game magazines shutting down all the time, I'm suprised Tips & Tricks was still around.

The magazine culture must not die (hopefully Play stays around forever) but with the growing trends of the internet, Tips & Tricks value in trade has been on a steady decrease.