Steve Harris hints at the future of the reborn EGM

by Ben Gilbert on Jul 5th 2009 3:00PM

When Electronic Gaming Monthly closed its doors back in January, it not only left behind an issue that never got published but also a brand that gamers everywhere easily recognized. The magazine's original founder, Steve Harris, recently bought back the rights to the magazine (as well as online rights), and this week he spoke with Publishing Executive to detail a bit of his plans for his new venture.

"The new Electronic Gaming Monthly will let you take your magazine and its content from print to computer to wireless devices -- even to your television," he says in the piece, continuing, "Content will be delivered via a digital device included with each issue." He doesn't go on to explain whether he means a thumb drive or a CD or what, but we're just as curious as you are to know more about the rebirth of a magazine we grew up reading -- and hated after hours spent trying to find Sheng Long. Curse you, early-to-mid-90s game magazine editors!

[Via Bitmob]

Source

Tags: bitmob, egm, electronic-gaming-monthly, magazines, print, publishing-executive, sheng-long, steve-harris

Reader Comments (43)

I guess that means they're putting the "electronic" into Electronic Gaming Monthly...

Do you guys all get it?

I just hope he didn't think he was clever or witty at the time he posted it.

I don't get it :/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frd53vbCHLg

+1

Haha, it was indeed intended to be lame and cheesy. Perhaps inspired by the lameness of EGM. Does anybody really give a sh-- about that magazine anymore? I stopped caring in like 96. I'm all for games journalism, don't get me wrong, and I'm sure the writers there are good people, but whats the point of resurrecting a dead magazine and making it even more expensive to produce?

@ playwhutyalike : nice vid link, that's handy!

Wow, I was a douche.

Whoa, I can't afford the space for any more USB drives... I JUST CAN'T!

Yeah the USB is going the way of the CD: annoying.

does anyone from joystiq or other members know what to do if you had a bunch of issues left on your subscription when the mag went under? I've tried to find info as well as who to contact or what, but never found out what other subscribers did...

You do the same as those that pre-ordered Duke Nukem: cry about.

If it was a paid subscription, I think you automatically get switched over to Maxim (or something like that). If it was one of the thousands of free subscriptions that were given out a few months before its death, I don't think you get anything.

You were supposed to receive copies of Maxim in its place (http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/22/heres-your-new-issue-of-egm-its-called-maxim/), but if you aren't getting them, that's no dice! Maybe try calling up Maxim's subscription line and find out what the deal is. Sorry, amigo!

If I had a choice between getting Maxim or nothing I would choose nothing without batting an eye.

@playwhutyalike
"If I had a choice between getting Maxim or nothing I would choose nothing without batting an eye."

Who knew I would see a kindred spirit here and now? It's not that I think I'm too 'elite' for such magazines, but somehow, magazines which highlights such things as 'dressing your women like a hoocie mama' on Valentine's Day, neverending sports coverage, and putting half naked women on their covers on every single issue....just doesn't appeal to me very much.

Regarding the subject at hand, I can't say this excites me. I used to be big on EGM (their Ocarina of Time issue is still one of my favorite magazine issue to this day), but they just seem to have gotten very bland, and their opinions often clashed with mine. I actually got a free subscription from them later on, and I actually had a tough time liking any of their new issues.

If they find success now, I wish they best for them, but I'm just not a big fan.

Just please don't suck when you come back.

How can they suck when you're sucking all the suckiness with this sucky comment!

I'd been reading since the 90s and just thought the last years worth of issues were awful.

Great, now you've sucked all the rest of the SUCK.

How much more suck can you suck?

A legitimate point. Dying EGM was chock full of hipsters with just a few real vets.

Klorox is spot-on. Although it was unfortunate EGM went under, that magazine sucked ass at the end.

EGM was at its best under Harris. Very respectable journalism, not this stupid fucking "ha ha, we're so witty" crap that plagued the last few years. I'm not sure I like what he is hinting at here, but at least the content should be worthwhile.

I don't know that any magazine has found success with digital distribution like that (something included with the mag). I remember a few companies tried to include a browsable CD that could be used in a computer or DVD player. Just seemed like a gimmick.

I would think that focusing on delivering the absolute highest quality of content on the web and in the print edition would be of greater value than a gimmicky way of displaying the same content on a variety of devices.

i was a paid member and had almost 2 years worth of issues left!

damn, i'm gonna have to try harder to reach people at 1up about this

Enjoy all those Maxim boobz

wait....I said what?? not everyday you see your own name posted all over jopystiq

Hopefully this time it'll be able to stand a chance. Oh, how I long for another dead magazine to rise from the ashes. GMR! Please come back to us! PLEASE!

(I was a smart little boy, so I understood the genius of that magazine.)

I wonder-- any chance the existing subscribers will get the new EGM?

No. Old EGM was owned by Ziff Davis. New EGM will be form a different publisher. I think Harris is publishing it himself at first?

Yeah, I was just wondering if they were going to purchase or pickup the existing subscribers. Existing subscribers are now receiving Maxim-- my first issue came about a week ago, and was a complete surprise.

this just in - who cares!

Uh........I sorta care considering it was the best video game magazine money could buy.

... which is kinda sad if you think about it.

I miss eXpert Gamer...

"I miss eXpert Gamer..."

EGM2 FTW

I'd be quick to pronounce this a bad idea, but not before i had it explained a little more clearly. Newspapers have already tried and failed to do the "premium digital content" thing, and i don't see what's so different here

The target audience for one.

EGM is the only games magazine I've ever genuinely enjoyed reading. Game Informer might be okay if it weren't owned by Gamestop, and their review scale didn't call 7 an average score.

I welcome the return of EGM, but I think whatever this new "electronic" thing is, it should die out fairly quickly. I don't think gamers right now are very enthusiastic about gimmicks (and you guys can feel free to make all the Wii and Natal jokes you want).

ELECTRONIC GAMIRON MAIDEN

Eh, I'll probably give em another try. While I didn't fall for the Sheng Long thing, I did invest time trying to activate the topless code in DOAXBV. Way too much time......(head hung in shame)

I'm loving this....bring back Semrad and Sushi-X while your at it! Man the MK2 issue from back in the day was my Bible for a hot minute.

oy vey,. more weaksauce from EGM?

i gotta see this, but actually, i dont even want to.i got the joystiq/eurogamer/gamersyde/gametrailers combo pack...no room left for quartermann or thier other shat articles.

the mag was LAME. seriously, GI shat on their faces long ago, regardless if it was being pushed through gamestop. Some people may not like GI, but they were head and shoulders above egm and the weirdo/alternate-reality reviews of Play.

as for more digital? dude, thats called THE WEB . smh.

Anyone who reads gamepro should be shot. yeah, SHOT.

EGM= The Wackness

I'm a gonna' be a subscriber. Steve Harris is awesome.

Steve Harris hints at the future of the reborn EGM

Reader Comments (43)

Posted: Jul 5th 2009 3:28PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jul 5th 2009 3:35PM JoshMilewski said

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