The Descent Of Mags

Print is not dead.

But it is dying. I love our British videogame magazines. They are the best in the world. But I understand that the humble print publication has fallen victim to the way we now consume information - its decline follows the Darwinian Theory that only the fittest survive, its extinction, therefore, inevitable.

But what rattles me more than our moribund magazine sales is the unconcerned reaction from the gaming public. A typical response:

“It’s just a sign of the times. Get over it. Move on or shut up. What can you read in a magazine that's not already on the internet?”

Can you think of anything on the ‘net that’s as good as N64 magazine was? Not just the writing, but the focus on reader interaction, the sense of humour, the passion. The internet is probably a very unsafe guide to popular taste because there is absolutely no control on what is published, which means it is not obliged to study its public at all closely. Mags like NGamer, 360 and Retrogamer only exist because there is a definite demand for them, and they reflect the minds of their readers as the internet with its user base of billions cannot possibly do.

What a terrible loss it shall be when the great British video game mag goes the way of the dodo.