PC Gamer gets rid of columnists

Games
#1

I didn’t see this posted elsewhere, so forgive me if it has

Just got the April '09 issue and found out I was a Backward Magazine Reader. According to PC Gamer editor Mr. Steinman, that means I like to jump to the back of the mag and read the columnists musings on the PC game world. And for some reason, they’ve decided to take them away. Mr. Steinman says they will return from time to time and that they have filled that space with an expanded Eyewitness section and more articles, but I for one would rather have the columnists back. I like the musings, to read what games they are playing, and definately the mod section that turned me onto new games made better by 'em.

I feel that’s what sets the magazine crowd apart from just reading articles online, the opinions of the columnists. I like Desslock’s RPG opinion, and since its within the pages of Pc Gamer, I subscribed to the mag. Now I have no reason to resubscribe, but just may for one more year in hopes they’ll change their minds.

Desslock, can you comment?

jorune

#2

Geez, can we not have a single week pass without another depressing story about the state of the industry? What a shame.

#3

I believe this has been in the works for a long while and not just a part of the latest trend. It’s sad to see them go. I really wonder how much longer the mag has until it becomes a pcgamer uk reprint mag assuming it’s even printed at all?

#4

Nice, they cut the one thing I bothered to read.

#5

My feelings as well.

#6

So Desslock, are you going to have a blog now (or do you already)?

#7

Another disappointing development.

#8

Wasn’t the Eyewitness section mostly repurposed articles from PC Gamer UK?

#9

Is it over now?

#10

I’ve been a positive-thinking holdout for a long time, but this is ridiculous. I loved the columns as well and disliked the Eyewitness section. It never seemed to interest me.

I have this problem with magazines in general where I may love the subject matter but can’t get excited about certain bland articles. PC Gamer was the rare magazine that I’d enjoy every single word, though Eyewitness was always a stretch.

#11

When I subscribed to the PC Gamer magazine, the columns were my favorite part.

#12

I’ll miss Desslock’s column the most, so yeah, it would be great if he did find someplace to keep publishing his RPG opinions. The loss of Brett Todd’s mod column is also a shame since it was a one stop shop for stuff I should take a look at. Does anybody else even cover mods with that sort of broad knowledge?

More and more of the PCGUS content is just imported from the UK edition, as well, which is fine I suppose since the UK version has some great writers. But it does dampen PCGUS’s unique voice.

Troy

#13

That’s what they all say. You were really looking at it for the hot, sweaty pictures of Alienware systems with their cases off, weren’t you!?

#14

What a poor decision; the columns were one of the last things that were unique to PC Gamer as a print magazine.

#15

Does anyone remember Desslock’s old blog on the Gamespot website? I loved that, much more than his PC Gamer column even. So I’d be all for Desslock starting that up again.

#16

Ever since VP Gore invented teh Interweb, I thought a great idea for gaming magazine would be to change from reviews to ALL previews, containing in depth looks at what coming up, from screenshots to dev interviews.

Magazine reviews are such a waste now with day-1 internet coverage. Give me an all previews PC games mag please.

#17

Next up… PC Gamer Gets Rid of Words.

#18

Well, that just killed any chance I had of re-upping my sub.

I love these magazine redesigns … I’ve now canceled The Sporting News and PCG b/c of their attempts to “improve” the magazine.

#19

This is sad. the News stuff in magazine is out of date and not good reading by the time we get it. We read it all the day of online. By the time mag gets to us, its weeks old. The columns are the only unique content mags have to offer. reviews/previews - we get those online, too.

#20

This seems like a cost-cutting move, never a good sign. I guess things are that bad, even without any direct US-based competition.

I’ll be surprised if PC Gamer US is still around a year from now.