Relaunched EGM subscriptions now available, magazine details remain hazy [update]
by Ben Gilbert 
{ Feb 7th 2010 at 1:30PM }
For 32 issues and access to "EGMi: The Digital Magazine," US customers are looking at dropping $14.99, while 64 issues (as well as the aforementioned digital mag access) will cost $24.99 -- Canadian subscribers are looking at $34.99 and $54.99 for 32 and 64 issues, respectively, minus the digital version. Though we've yet to receive any real idea of the magazine's content, Harris has already signed on ex-EGMers Dan "Shoe" Hsu and Demian Linn, as well as the Co-Op folks, to fill those shoes (or "Hsu's," as it were). We'll certainly find out more this April when the first issue is scheduled to hit subscribers and newsstands.
Update: To be clear, the $14.99 and $24.99 subscription deals actually equal a half year or full year of physical magazines (one per month; six and 12, respectively), as detailed in the fine print. "Your subscription includes either six print issues and 26 premium digital issues of EGM[I]: The Digital Magazine for a total of 32 issues OR 12 print issues and 52 premium digital issues of EGM[I]: The Digital Magazine for a total of 64 issues." Confusing enough for you?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Cammie Dunaway @ Feb 7th 2010 1:38PM
That's a great news. The more gaming coverage, the better for all of us gamers.
silentbum @ Feb 7th 2010 1:42PM
Actually, the plans work out like this:
6 Print Issues / 26 Digital Issues - $14.99
12 Print Issues / 52 Digital Issues - $24.99
BigBadBob @ Feb 7th 2010 1:45PM
Wow, thats a bit sneaky of them. And here I was thinking I would get 32 physical issues...
silentbum @ Feb 7th 2010 1:47PM
Yeah, I was thinking that originally too, but he cleared it up on the home page:
http://www.egmnow.com/
It's still not a bad deal, but not nearly as great 32 issues for $15.
PercivalFats @ Feb 7th 2010 1:47PM
I personally don't see the point of digital magazines, print is just better.
silentbum @ Feb 7th 2010 1:50PM
Well, the idea with the digital magazine is that it'd be out weekly and would include work from the Area5/CO-OP dudes, which means video content, which I'm all up for.
But I was a fan when I thought the digital magazine would just be a cool media companion to each print issue, and not a majority of my subscription.
copa @ Feb 7th 2010 2:19PM
Actually, plans work out like this:
2 Print issues, and then the remainder of your balance is converted to a Maxim subscription when they remember that there isn't a huge market for print gaming magazines these days.
Jimbotron @ Feb 8th 2010 10:29AM
@silentbum: It's not the majority of your subscription. It's 6 months worth of digital issues, which will come out weekly, along with 6 months worth of printed issues. The digital issues will probably be small, so a months worth of them may add up to the same amount of content as one print magazine.
Jawmuncher (PSN & XBL:Jawmuncher) @ Feb 7th 2010 1:51PM
Is seanbaby coming back?
If no seanbaby, no buy.
ZenGaijin @ Feb 7th 2010 1:53PM
He was always a freelancer so I assume they will hire him when they need him.
Brian (PC gamer extraordinaire) @ Feb 7th 2010 1:53PM
Games that suck ass!!!!!!!!
Dr. Orpheus @ Feb 7th 2010 1:59PM
Is this the same seanbaby who spends a lot of time writing for cracked.com?
Brian (PC gamer extraordinaire) @ Feb 7th 2010 2:05PM
there can only be one
Hiro @ Feb 7th 2010 2:18PM
Yes:
http://www.egmnow.com/press/SEANBABY-REILEY-JOINS-EGM.html
Trickob @ Feb 7th 2010 2:46PM
@hiro
As an indication of how hilarious Seanbaby is, that article made me laugh out loud. Thank you for the confirmation :)
Ezio Auditore da Firenze @ Feb 7th 2010 6:55PM
I hope not.
Not sure why he was ever hired on in the first place. Give the chance to someone with actual talent.
Jimbotron @ Feb 8th 2010 10:27AM
He was confirmed to be returning, much to my disappointment. That guy and his writing is a waste of space.
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Feb 7th 2010 1:53PM
uhhh if they somehow get their Magazine on whatever store the HP Slate ends up having then I may sign up....digital issues are good with me...
Eggviper @ Feb 7th 2010 10:41PM
yep, I'm thinking about getting an ipad and digital magazines are definitely on the top of my list for things I'm looking forward to.
Hopefully though, they don't take the easy way out and simply put out pdf type files for us to flip through. I'm looking forward to more of what they showed with the new york times (or whatever newspaper company) with the context sensitive menus, embedded videos, etc within the magazine.
There IS a place for gaming magazine subscriptions in the future, but they need to keep up with technology.
Jimbotron @ Feb 8th 2010 10:31AM
They said their digital issues will have downloads and video and audio. So it won't be a PDF. Maybe it will be something like Maximum PC put out about Home theatres, which was basically an interactive magazine viewed through Zinio.
Brian (PC gamer extraordinaire) @ Feb 7th 2010 1:54PM
gonna subscribe
Brian (PC gamer extraordinaire) @ Feb 7th 2010 2:08PM
actually, after looking at the canadian prices, theres no way im going to subscribe at over double the price when our currency is 1can:.93USD
there's no reason for that
Eggviper @ Feb 7th 2010 10:44PM
Agreed. This is especially true for the digital versions.
Jimbotron @ Feb 8th 2010 10:35AM
I am assuming that once the magazine is up and running for a while, print issues will be printed and mailed from within Canada, like many magazines are for Canadian subscribers (GamePro, Nintendo Power, Popular Science, Popular Mechanics).
I subscribed for 6 months to check it out, even though it was expensive.
Jimbotron @ Feb 9th 2010 6:33PM
Prices for Canada have come down. $45 for 6 months, $35 for 1 year. Awesome.
ZenGaijin @ Feb 7th 2010 1:54PM
This is great news! Sadly, I doubt if my old subscription will carry over as I had just renewed two months before the final issue.
Uncontrol @ Feb 7th 2010 2:01PM
Isn't the whole allure of magazines that they're physical ... if I wanted digital content, why not just read 1up or something?
Brian (PC gamer extraordinaire) @ Feb 7th 2010 2:04PM
gonna subscribe
12 Print Issues / 52 Digital Issues - $24.99
at 2.08 or so a issue, thats still a good deal for a year, the digital issues are just a bonus, filler for in between the major (i hope) stories in the physical issues.
Jimbotron @ Feb 8th 2010 10:42AM
Because websites are dull and boring. It will probably be something like the digital magazines you can get through Zinio. I have one from Maximum PC and it's quite cool.
oxymoronx420 @ Feb 7th 2010 2:08PM
Why is it so expensive for Canadians?
Our space bucks aren't worth less than half of an american dollar....
Typical racism...
Demon G Sides @ Feb 7th 2010 2:12PM
Those racist Americans! Trying to keep the Canadian race down! Well I say... What's that? Canadians aren't a race, but just a nationality? Dear god, my lifetime of a work, for naught!
Brian (PC gamer extraordinaire) @ Feb 7th 2010 2:17PM
in all seriousness, that's some serious Bullsh*t, i was going to subscribe, and then i saw the price i'd have to pay compared to people in America.
so wrong.
freaparn @ Feb 7th 2010 2:26PM
I'm assuming it has something to do with cross-border shipping (generally these sorts of deals are limited to "the continental USA" excluding Canada, Alaska, and Hawaii) and is not intended as a slight against our Northern Peso. Or else their financial research is based in 2002, and they assume it's still only worth $0.62? Either way, it sort of kills the appeal of the offer for us igloo-dwellers.
Brian (PC gamer extraordinaire) @ Feb 7th 2010 2:29PM
even if you take into account shipping, PC gamer charges 35 dollars canadian for a year, and provides demo disks and all that other crap, even if it is 10 dollars more than the US sub
Jimbotron @ Feb 8th 2010 10:41AM
Take into account that PC Gamer is probably printed in Canada and shipped from within Canada. Many magazines do that: GamePro, Maximum PC, Nintendo Power, Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, etc. Give them time to get something set up here and the price will go down. Subscribing to Game Informer in Canada is expensive because they print and ship from the US. Though because they have less that 400 subscribers here, that is how they do it.
Nate Addison @ Feb 7th 2010 2:18PM
So does this mean that my OPM subscription that was converted to EGM that was then converted to Maxim will now revert back to EGM, or am I just screwed like all those times before?
Steve @ Feb 7th 2010 2:45PM
EGM folded so long ago that i'd imagine your subscription ran out a long time ago, so no, they wouldn't switch you back over to EGM.
Uncontrol @ Feb 7th 2010 2:49PM
converting subscriptions is such bullshit
nick @ Feb 7th 2010 4:14PM
I seriously doubt this is the same company, although the name of the magazine is the same. I had just renewed my subscription for a year or maybe even 2, only to learn later that it was folding. Oddly, Maxim came in it's place which was a complete surprise, and it's not what I would consider the same type of magazine. Course the family balked, and I told Maxim, um no thanks. And I never heard from them again, never received anything else, and never received a refund. So I'm basically out my subscription. The whole mess makes me not want to return to EGM. It's doubtful I'll ever subscribe to them again.
Marco @ Feb 7th 2010 11:12PM
Most likely not gonna happen. But hey they dooo send refunds! just call up maxim and let em know, if you dont then they dont send it. Very tricky business, and i should know, since i work at one of these places...hate answering phone calls all day..:/
Jimbotron @ Feb 8th 2010 10:44AM
Not the same company. Steve Harris has said so many times that there is nothing he can do about the old subscriptions being converted. It was a deal that was made before he bought EGM back. I thought everyone would be aware of this by now.
Sonos @ Feb 7th 2010 2:49PM
This is pretty great news. I was really missing reading about Halo, Madden, Metal Gear news month after month after month. Those masturbation jokes were sorely missed as well they were always so fresh and original. A review system where sports titles always get 8.5 - 9.5 because the sports minded guys get only a few reviews a year? YES PLEASE.
Maybe we will all get lucky and they will kick up Dynasty Warrior reviews where they claim its reptitive and the same thing over and over and over...wait is that repitiv...nevermind EGM is awesome lets go for round 2!
Jimbotron @ Feb 8th 2010 10:50AM
I am hoping that under Steve Harris is resembles the EGM of the 90s more than the EGM run by Mielke. It was a terrible magazine near the end.
Tha0racle @ Feb 7th 2010 2:51PM
Copa, I hope your wrong but that was pretty funny. I am still waiting for my prorated refund that was promised if I didn't want the Maxim issues lol.
Shiaoran @ Feb 7th 2010 2:56PM
Do people still pay for information?
Mr Khan @ Feb 7th 2010 2:56PM
Interested in seeing how they execute this. I'll at least look for the first issue on newsstands.
Saad77 @ Feb 7th 2010 2:59PM
Canada gets screwed again. What the hell is wrong with these companies, do they think we are stupid. We know what the currency rate is at and there is no need to charge almost double or more. Give us a break once in awhile, we get screwed enough with the game prices over here. /rant
Jimbotron @ Feb 8th 2010 10:56AM
Hey, stupid. Stop being a whiny bitch. The magazine is just starting out, so everything will be printed and shipped from the US. Which makes it more expensive. It has nothing to do with our currency. Once they've been going for a while, I am sure they will set something up like most other magazines, and have issues destined for sale and subscribers in Canada to be printed and mailed from Canada. That will make it a hell of a lot cheaper. But don't expect that kind of set up before the first issue is out.
If you have any subscriptions to US magazines that have "Publications Mail Agreement #40612608" in the address label, that means it was printed and shipped here. Give them time to get settled before whining like a bitch about the cost. At least they offer subscriptions here before the first issue is out.
Jimbotron @ Feb 8th 2010 10:58AM
Hey, stupid. Stop being a whiny bitch. The magazine is just starting out, so everything will be printed and shipped from the US. Which makes it more expensive. It has nothing to do with our currency. Once they've been going for a while, I am sure they will set something up like most other magazines, and have issues destined for sale and subscribers in Canada to be printed and mailed from Canada. That will make it a hell of a lot cheaper. But don't expect that kind of set up before the first issue is out.
If you have any subscriptions to US magazines that have "Publications Mail Agreement #40612608" in the address label, that means it was printed and shipped here. Give them time to get settled before whining like a bitch about the cost. At least they offer subscriptions here before the first issue is out.
Fear the Dread @ Feb 7th 2010 3:03PM
No point in a game magazine when all your "exclusive news" will be posted on the gaming blogs before the magazine even gets sent out to the subscribers.
Maybe the features will pull people in. Who knows? But the Canadian pricing will keep me from subscribing, that is for sure.