After just five issues, the official World of Warcraft Magazine is calling it quits. Future US has posted a notice on the website, and subscribers can either get a refund for the issues they didn't receive, or a voucher for six in-game World of Warcraft pets. Future recommends subscribers who want to keep up with the game in a dead tree format can subscribe to its PC Gamer publication, and it's possible Blizzard may try to publish something itself, though there are apparently no plans for that yet.
It's kind of a shame -- the WoW Magazine did offer a lot of solid coverage about the game (and some good looks inside the workings of Blizzard's Irvine, CA campus), but the publication was also torn between its status as an official outlet and a separate press entity. Dan Amrich, the magazine's first editor-in-chief (who left even before the first issue was published, and is now working as an official Activision blogger) recently wrote about some of the troubles he had dealing with Blizzard's licensing department and their control over the magazine.
When you combine that with the fact that MMO fans tend to prefer digital over analog, then apparently the whole venture just wasn't worth it. Like we said, shame.
Reader Comments (54)
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 8:36PM Tommy758 said
All I have to say is wow
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 8:41PM FuriousMailman said
@Tommy758
Something was done here and I saw it.
Reply
Something was done here and I saw it.
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 8:36PM Zal said
I got a year subscription when it was announced but I regretted it in the end.
The first issue was horrendously late so it didn't even have a good start. Then every issue felt really lacking for me. I mean maybe some people liked it but I wanted more insider stuff like insights into development of the game and interviews. But instead a big part of the magazine was tips for battlegrounds or community interviews etc.
So it's a bummer for those who were enjoying it but for me I canceled my subscription anyway as it just wasn't giving me what I wanted.
The first issue was horrendously late so it didn't even have a good start. Then every issue felt really lacking for me. I mean maybe some people liked it but I wanted more insider stuff like insights into development of the game and interviews. But instead a big part of the magazine was tips for battlegrounds or community interviews etc.
So it's a bummer for those who were enjoying it but for me I canceled my subscription anyway as it just wasn't giving me what I wanted.
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 8:37PM Aerothorn said
The question is why they waited until 7 years after the game's launch to start the official magazine. The mind boggles.
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 8:38PM drunkingamebar said
Didn't even know WoW had a magazine..
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 8:39PM Alex Trebek said
I guess for most WoW players, one subscription is enough.
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 8:41PM FuzzyPierce said
If someone spends a lot of their time on a compute rplaying a game on a computer one has to wonder why ANYONE would think it'd be a good idea to distribute news about it in paid, non-computer format.
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 8:43PM BrianH said
Whats the point of a magazine when you can just go to mmo-champ?
Even the developer blogs on battle.net are already good enough
Even the developer blogs on battle.net are already good enough
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 9:34PM Drakkenfyre said
@BrianH
It wasn't all news. It was also retrospective articles, interviews, artwork, posters, player feedback (multiple times they called out for comments on the forums for certain topics, and your name might have ended up in it.) behind-the-scenes stuff, scrapped ideas, and more.
They were also extremely high quality. Thick, glossy magazines. They were the same quality some strategy guides are. You could have found a copy of one of these in a Collector's Edition, and it wouldn't have been out of place.
Reply
It wasn't all news. It was also retrospective articles, interviews, artwork, posters, player feedback (multiple times they called out for comments on the forums for certain topics, and your name might have ended up in it.) behind-the-scenes stuff, scrapped ideas, and more.
They were also extremely high quality. Thick, glossy magazines. They were the same quality some strategy guides are. You could have found a copy of one of these in a Collector's Edition, and it wouldn't have been out of place.
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 9:02PM Weejo said
Guild Wars Mag is better because you get a years' subscription for the price of one issue.
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 9:10PM Hank Hill said
I got a subscription of this last year, so I've got the first four issues even though I stopped playing WoW around the time cataclysm was released. I didn't renew my subscription so I didn't get that fifth issue, which means I'm just one issue away from owning a full set of potential collector's items...
Thing is, it was actually quite a solid magazine. The posters were kinda nice and it had some solid content. I'm really surprised this didn't work out considering the huge fanbase WoW has.
Thing is, it was actually quite a solid magazine. The posters were kinda nice and it had some solid content. I'm really surprised this didn't work out considering the huge fanbase WoW has.
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 9:25PM Scnew said
What are the six pets?
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 10:13PM yab said
@Scnew They updated the offers. http://media.mmo-champion.com/images/news/2011/september/magcanceled3.jpg
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Posted: Sep 17th 2011 9:27PM Apakal said
I've seen a lot of bad business ventures in my day, but this is right up there. Who honestly thought, in the time of the death of the newspaper, with the USPS about to shut down, that print would ever be a good idea? Especially when that print is competing with the literally hundreds of blogs on the same subject that deliver the same news faster and more regularly, for free...
Other than maybe an exclusive interview and some artwork, what did they seriously think they had to offer?
Other than maybe an exclusive interview and some artwork, what did they seriously think they had to offer?
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 9:35PM Drakkenfyre said
@Apakal
High-quality, physical media. The same kind of people who still buy CD's, DVD's, and BluRays in this age of downloadable content, were the same kind of person who would get this magazine.
Reply
High-quality, physical media. The same kind of people who still buy CD's, DVD's, and BluRays in this age of downloadable content, were the same kind of person who would get this magazine.
Posted: Sep 18th 2011 1:36PM Apakal said
@Drakkenfyre
Truth, and that's a valid niche, but a niche all the same. A particularly small niche when you consider the subject manner and the consumer identity.
If that was the goal, it should have simply been a larger, annual or semi-annual affair, rife with collectible artwork and exclusives.
Physical media can no longer be marketed with a throw-it-away-when-you're-done mentality. As you said, it needs to be high quality, and it needs to be something worth keeping around (like CDs, DVDs, and Bluray).
But a magazine with even a semi-aggressive publishing strategy was simply destined to fail in light of the competition and the crowd they're marketing to. This isn't Better Homes and Gardens we're talking about.
Reply
Truth, and that's a valid niche, but a niche all the same. A particularly small niche when you consider the subject manner and the consumer identity.
If that was the goal, it should have simply been a larger, annual or semi-annual affair, rife with collectible artwork and exclusives.
Physical media can no longer be marketed with a throw-it-away-when-you're-done mentality. As you said, it needs to be high quality, and it needs to be something worth keeping around (like CDs, DVDs, and Bluray).
But a magazine with even a semi-aggressive publishing strategy was simply destined to fail in light of the competition and the crowd they're marketing to. This isn't Better Homes and Gardens we're talking about.
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 9:29PM MassiveGG said
they have to start cutting things out now cause of the big subscriber lost on wow :D
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 9:48PM thechaos said
Wait people still play WoW?
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 9:51PM tchuks said
Like everyone else who quits WoW, they will be back in 4 months with some BS excuse about how school was getting in the way...
Posted: Sep 18th 2011 2:30AM drunkingamebar said
@OrangeGamer I've been clean since May, and my guildies are droppin' subs left and right. Curious to see the next report, if they are gaining or bleeding mass subscriptions.
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Posted: Sep 18th 2011 2:32AM drunkingamebar said
@drunkingamebar Why no edit?! I just checked armory, actually I have been clean since March. :P
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Posted: Sep 17th 2011 10:21PM Warlock234 said
Good. WoW is dead, hopefully for good.
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 10:24PM Drakkenfyre said
A magazine, which is not printed by the company, but is instead printed by another magazine company, stops publication.
Somehow that means the original company has closed?
What logic are you using?
Reply
Somehow that means the original company has closed?
What logic are you using?
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 10:27PM Warlock234 said
@Drakkenfyre
Who said Blizzard has closed? Did anybody imply that Blizzard is even close to closing? NO. The fact is, nobody plays WoW anymore, and unless they completely remake the game, it's just going to go down hill from here. The end of this magazine is proof of that.
P.S. Stop slurring people's words into something you can troll on.
Reply
Who said Blizzard has closed? Did anybody imply that Blizzard is even close to closing? NO. The fact is, nobody plays WoW anymore, and unless they completely remake the game, it's just going to go down hill from here. The end of this magazine is proof of that.
P.S. Stop slurring people's words into something you can troll on.
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 10:57PM Drakkenfyre said
@Warlock234
The closest game in numbers is like 1/10th the size. But no ones supposed to be playing? You are the one trolling.
Reply
The closest game in numbers is like 1/10th the size. But no ones supposed to be playing? You are the one trolling.
Posted: Sep 18th 2011 9:47PM (Unverified) said
@Warlock234
LULZ
"A singular niche publication has been canceled because of problems with the publication, not with the game's popularity, ergo the game-which remains a best seller every month STILL-must be dead!"
Reply
LULZ
"A singular niche publication has been canceled because of problems with the publication, not with the game's popularity, ergo the game-which remains a best seller every month STILL-must be dead!"
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 10:38PM soniccar said
In the article, it said this was a shame. Anything having to do with any part of WoW being stopped, is a great thing.
Posted: Sep 18th 2011 1:42AM OrangeGamer said
@soniccar I don't play WoW, but honestly what? That's like saying "Good, people shouldn't be playing video games!" when EGM went under initially.
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Posted: Sep 17th 2011 10:55PM James816 said
@soniccar
I can't say I've really understood this overwhelmingly negative attitude. If you don't care for the game, simply don't play it. Live and let live or some such nonsense.
I can't say I've really understood this overwhelmingly negative attitude. If you don't care for the game, simply don't play it. Live and let live or some such nonsense.
Posted: Sep 18th 2011 1:43AM OrangeGamer said
@James816 A typical troll, is why. Nothing to see here.
Reply
Posted: Sep 18th 2011 3:03AM ticklefist said
@OrangeGamer
I don't think it's trolling. I think he's experienced the nasty ugly truth about MMOs.
Reply
I don't think it's trolling. I think he's experienced the nasty ugly truth about MMOs.
Posted: Sep 18th 2011 8:18AM soniccar said
@OrangeGamer
Typical comment aimed at somebody with a different opinion than your own. It is not even close to the same thing as saying that nobody should play video games. Saying that MMOs are bad is closer to saying that cigarette companies are bad. I have no respect for any company that makes an MMO.
Reply
Typical comment aimed at somebody with a different opinion than your own. It is not even close to the same thing as saying that nobody should play video games. Saying that MMOs are bad is closer to saying that cigarette companies are bad. I have no respect for any company that makes an MMO.
Posted: Sep 17th 2011 10:59PM Lerkero said
I don't understand why the magazine wasn't digital and included with your WoW subscription. Would have made a lot of sense, but I guess ActiBlizzard wouldn't have had the chance to make more money that way.
Posted: Sep 18th 2011 1:54AM iceveiled said
Magazines as a format for people to consume information = DEAD. I'm surprised Game Informer survives. I'm even more surprised EGM came back from the dead. I love taking a gaming mag to the shitter for poop session and some gamer reading, but yeah....short of really good editorials the web isn't covering, magazines are dead.
It's a shame. I grew up reading gaming mags, car mags, etc.
It's a shame. I grew up reading gaming mags, car mags, etc.
Posted: Sep 18th 2011 2:58AM jsowers said
Perhaps the money behind this could have been better used to create a documentary film about WoW. I think there is one hell of a film there if done right.
Posted: Sep 18th 2011 5:55AM kosmik said
How does a magazine for EVE Online survive for years (of which I'm a subscriber to for 6 months so far), yet a World of Warcraft publication can't last 5 months..
Something doesn't make sense.
Also, magazines are not "dead". They're alive and well, just because some people can't pull their faces away from a screen 24/7, doesn't mean millions of people don't prefer to read from paper.
Something doesn't make sense.
Also, magazines are not "dead". They're alive and well, just because some people can't pull their faces away from a screen 24/7, doesn't mean millions of people don't prefer to read from paper.
Posted: Sep 18th 2011 6:30AM LaughingTarget said
@kosmik
Magazines with easily obtainable information are dead. Unless you're aiming for a much older crowd (People Magazine because I rarely see anyone under 40 these days care what celebrity married who), you'll need some kind of valuable, unique insight to survive. WoW isn't that deep a game. EVE is.
Unless what you're selling can make others rich, print media is a dead man walking. And even then, when the older crowd resistant to change starts shrinking, even those will go digital. The death of magazines is as inevitable as the death of monks hand copying every book.
Reply
Magazines with easily obtainable information are dead. Unless you're aiming for a much older crowd (People Magazine because I rarely see anyone under 40 these days care what celebrity married who), you'll need some kind of valuable, unique insight to survive. WoW isn't that deep a game. EVE is.
Unless what you're selling can make others rich, print media is a dead man walking. And even then, when the older crowd resistant to change starts shrinking, even those will go digital. The death of magazines is as inevitable as the death of monks hand copying every book.
Posted: Sep 18th 2011 12:48PM Viiral said
WoW is on its way out.. deal with it.
Posted: Sep 18th 2011 1:43PM drunkingamebar said
@Viiral SWG was on it's way out for about 10 years, deal with that.
Reply
Posted: Sep 18th 2011 1:10PM AidenAnderson said
I didn't know WOW had a magazine. And honestly I fail to see the purpose... It's preferable in every way ti get the news about the game online. Even for fan art, which really took off in WOW's case. People actually subscribe to that...?
Posted: Sep 18th 2011 1:50PM drunkingamebar said
@AidenAnderson Not everyone could play 10/12 hours a day, some people could rarely play at all. Schedules with work, kids, ect.. If you can't play something you really enjoy, usually people read about it. You can't really get your gaming fill with 10 minutes in the bathroom or the 15 minute subway ride to work, while you are cooking dinner or what ever. Magazines are a great way to enjoy things you don't have the time for.
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