Games for Windows Magazine goes online-only

by Kyle Orland { Apr 8th 2008 at 2:45PM }

The list of defunct video game magazines has grown quite a bit over the last few years: Tips & Tricks; Computer Games; the Official PlayStation Magazine (the old one, not the new one). Well, we can add another name to the list today, as Ziff Davis just announced that Games for Windows: The Official Magazine will no longer exist in its print form.

In announcing the move, effective as of the April/May issue, Ziff Davis Vice President Simon Cox assured readers that the decision had "nothing to do with the Chapter 11 stuff," and everything to do with the computer gaming audience's massive migration to online news sources. The magazine's editorial staff will be transferred to computer game coverage on 1UP.com, Cox said, though the magazine's art team will be moving on. Current subscribers will be able to transfer their subscriptions to Electronic Gaming Monthly or ~~request a refund~~ PC Mag, according to 1UP's Dan Hsu [updated with correction from Hsu himself @ 3:09].

The decision marks the end of the run for a magazine that started in 1981 as Computer Gaming World and leaves Electronic Gaming Monthly as Ziff Davis' only print video game magazine and Future's PC Gamer as America's only computer game-focused print mag. Will this latest streamlining help attract interest in the long-offered sale of the Ziff Davis Game Group? Given the widespread contraction of the magazine market, we can't say it would hurt.

Tags: death-of-print, games-for-windows, magazine, magazines, print, ziff-davis

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jeff @ Apr 8th 2008 2:48PM

I sorta liked that magazine. I got a free subscription somehow.

But all of the stuff in it I had read online before it came out, anyway.

BananaBoat @ Apr 8th 2008 5:05PM

Oh joy! I get my choice of transferring to one of two magazines that I've already subscribed too.

I think it's fitting that your only gaming choice is EGM. They are basically saying "PC gaming is dead, but here's some EGM for you to get you caught up on this whole console gaming thing".

Goodbye Games for Windows Magazine...we hardly knew ye...

pm @ Apr 9th 2008 6:48PM

You got it from Joystiq.

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/27/joyswag-free-1-year-subscription-to-games-for-windows-magazine/

BananaBoat @ Apr 9th 2008 7:18PM

No, I got EGM from Joystiq. Payed for a 3 (I think) year subscription to Games for Windows, and 1-2ish for PC Mag. Basically this means that despite Joystiq's efforts to bring me free EGM (thanks), I've ended up paying for it anyway (which isn't a bad thing, but whatever)

Fernando Rocker @ Apr 8th 2008 2:48PM

I really really like EGM... it's nice to have something to read in the bathroom.

=p

Zertoss @ Apr 8th 2008 2:58PM

Huh, I had you pegged as a DS owner.

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Apr 8th 2008 9:36PM

If he played the DS on his toilet seat, he'd never get out of there.

Nigeria: Cody ChesnuTT Defense Force @ Apr 8th 2008 2:50PM

Remember the Sega Saturn magazine.

DangerMouse @ Apr 8th 2008 4:29PM

Sega...Saturn?

xFenixKnightx @ Apr 8th 2008 2:51PM

I got the new EGM last week...its on some kind of diet. Keeps getting thinner and thinner every month =(

Martez @ Apr 8th 2008 2:56PM

It's because they put the other half of the articles on 1up now.

xFenixKnightx @ Apr 8th 2008 3:02PM

I know, but still Im done with it in about 10min. I cant stand 1up.com and the 1up show for that matter. Half of those guys on there are jerkoffs especially the fat one with the glasses. Everything that comes out of his mouth annoys me. =/ lulz!

Mr Khan @ Apr 8th 2008 7:55PM

I agree with FenixKnight, 1up exudes arrogance from every digital orifice

Their news is fine, of course, but their features annoy the hell outta me

ShadowGod @ Apr 8th 2008 3:02PM

Wow. What a sad end for Computer Gaming World. They were the original, the first pc games magazine. And gamers owe a lot to them for promoting our hobby for all those years. So sad. :(

rwiggum @ Apr 8th 2008 2:57PM

NO!! I REALLY hope that this doesn't mean the end of the GFW Radio "Brodeo". That's one of my favorite podcasts, hands-down. It's really a shame to see such a respectable and forward-thinking publication take a turn like this.

ApolloIV @ Apr 8th 2008 3:56PM

I need my ass kicked in CoH some more. I love that podcast. I don't think this means then end of GFW.

Norm @ Apr 8th 2008 3:02PM

I have a subscription to this magazine, and honestly I'm not all that upset that it's going online only. I don't think I ever really cared about anything the writers had to say, which is unfortunate. It seemed more like a bunch of well written ads, and not so much editorial.

jefffff @ Apr 8th 2008 3:04PM

Im sure a lot of jerky guys are gonna take a shot at print media here, but GFW was really an excellent mag. I am very sad to see it go.

Ethan Rom @ Apr 8th 2008 3:08PM

Damn! I had a free subscription to this magazine too. Now what am I going to do while dropping the kids off at the pool? I guess I'll have to take my notebook PC in there.

Ted @ Apr 8th 2008 4:02PM

You can read the UK edition of PC Gamer - best pc gaming magazine imo. Much better than PC Gamer U.S. It's probably pretty expensive to get a subscription over there though.

The other U.K. PC games magazine, PC Zone, is good too.

In the UK, the games magazines are full A4 size, thicker, with sturdier covers than their US counterparts. I get sort of disgusted when I'm over there at the flimsy, ad-filled, low-content fare that is the US pcgamer.

tmacairjordan87 @ Apr 8th 2008 3:09PM

it's sad guys but really is anyone shocked by it? We've all known for a few years now that with sites like joystiq and kotaku and others, print media just cannot fight against them.

Information gained immediately is >>>>>> than information gained 30 days after.

DWells55 @ Apr 8th 2008 3:09PM

Anyone know how to check how many issues we have left and how much of a refund we're entitled to?

Alex @ Apr 8th 2008 3:09PM

Aww man, but I guess my free subscription is running out soon anyways and well I had no plans on renewing (well unless Joystiq was to give me another free subscription)

Pajama_Man @ Apr 8th 2008 3:11PM

Nooooooo!

Awww Green was a really good editor in chief for the mag and the last half dozen issues have been outstanding.

This is really unfortunate news as I thought the printed mag offered some pretty unique articles and features (especially on indy games).

PC Gamer use to be great but ever since Rob Smith jumped ship and went over the other console mags; quality hasn't really been the same.

brandon @ Apr 8th 2008 3:30PM

bah, i spend enough time on the computer, its nice to read game news on print. this is only going to make them compete in an over-saturated market. i loved CGW and was indifferent to GFW (it was the best one out there for PC games, which isn't saying much).

Bigsven @ Apr 8th 2008 3:26PM

So where do we go to get our subscription moved?

Gurei @ Apr 8th 2008 3:39PM

As expected,theres not much a magazine can offer that a website can do better.

Shawn @ Apr 8th 2008 3:38PM

I'm on 1up everyday anyway. Their amazing podcast is still alive which is great news. I'll miss the mag, but we'll get the same content or close to it online.

ogvor @ Apr 8th 2008 3:44PM

Wow, I was starting to really like the none review articles they were putting in the magazine. The article they had recently about games that portrayed the Palestinian/Israeli conflict was really well written, as well as their consistent ability to highlight those little games you never otherwise hear about (Armageddon Empires FTW!). The GFW Radio podcast is also quite possibly one of my favorites (behind the Joystiq Podcast of course) so I really hope they continue producing that.

WiNG @ Apr 8th 2008 3:53PM

I blame joystiq for giving out free subscriptions.

Kidding.

kinda.

ApolloIV @ Apr 8th 2008 3:59PM

Add money>Subscription money. So the larger the audience, the more money they make. In the long run, the free subscriptions help. That's why they choke you by the balls when you buy it form the stands(like what $108 if you buy all twelve issues off the stands) and they will sell you a year long subscription for $20.

samred @ Apr 8th 2008 3:56PM

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

GFW has the best games features in the biz, hands-down. Jeff Green ran that ship with the highest regard for intelligence, humor, and--most of all--respect for its dedicated audience. Man. What a fricking shame. RIP.

whymog @ Apr 8th 2008 4:06PM

Jeff Green is my favorite person in gaming journalism, and I'm sure this is a tough blow to him and his crew. His column in the back of CGW was a large part of what kept me subscribing to it for so many years before it became GFW.

It's really too bad.

Godmil @ Apr 9th 2008 5:16AM

Yeah Jeff and Shawn are damn smart cookies. Some of the stuff they did I'd put up there with the best gaming journalism from Edge magazine.

EMOruffino @ Apr 8th 2008 4:55PM

well that sucks, i want my money back for the subscription because were i live i can only get dialup.

Mike @ Apr 8th 2008 5:19PM

RIP CGW. As a kid I was always a PC Gamer guy, but in retrospect, CGW was always the better mag.

shawn @ Apr 8th 2008 5:58PM

thank god i didnt renew

Jonah Falcon @ Apr 8th 2008 6:17PM

Chapter 11 had NOTHING to do with it?

"16 stab wounds in the back. Worst case of suicide we ever saw."

Jonah Falcon @ Apr 8th 2008 6:18PM

2 of the PC games mag Trinity are gone.

RIP, Computer Games Strategy Plus/Computer Games Magazine
RIP, Computer Gaming World/Games for Windows

PC Gamer is the sole survivor.

Einhanderkiller @ Apr 8th 2008 6:40PM

Aw, this sucks. I had a free subscription until 2012. :P

But seriously, though, Games for Windows (previously known as Computer Gaming World) was an awesome magazine, and was the only magazine I found myself reading through completely month after month.

Lonin @ Apr 8th 2008 7:55PM

What a shame, but I suppose it was inevitable. At least I'll still have the podcast!

Wubbytoes @ Apr 8th 2008 8:47PM

That's pretty sad. I'm a GFW subscriber and I used to love reading CGW when I was a kid. At least all the editors will still get to keep their jobs on 1up. Jeff Green is one of the funniest guys in the game journalism biz.

meso @ Apr 8th 2008 9:14PM

RIP...such a shame to see it go. I don't want EGM or PCMag...why do I care about PS3 games or cell phones. I want a PC Gaming magazine dammit. I get my online info from joystiq and for the times I'm not in front of a PC (which is quite amazingly a large chunk of my day) I like to have a print magazine to read. Guess it's back to PC Gamer. not that there's anything wrong with them. I just like choice.

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Apr 8th 2008 9:39PM

I had always thought that "Games for Windows" was a silly concept when game boxes started getting labeled such.

Maxathon @ Apr 9th 2008 9:04AM

Oh man, this is a disaster. Those guys better stay employed, there isn't a better crew of original voices out there. Not even on EGM, what with all the changes over there lately.

This isn't completely out of the blue, of course--changing the name of the mag certainly seems like a desperation move in retrospect.