And I said I spilled syrup on my magazines to explain why the pages stuck together.
They would have had staff write the columns if they saw the editorial value but wanted to cut budget. It sounds like the new EIC wants to put his “stamp” on the magazine. The same way Vederman reorganized the entire mag by genre when he took over. (… And then scrapped a few issues later …)
I’ll be surprised if PC Gamer US is still around a year from now.
You’re not the only one.
Yeah, I’m no longer writing for PC Gamer magazine - they’re basically coordinating efforts more with PC Gamer UK and keeping all of their writing inhouse.
Here’s my old pre-blog blog, courtesy of wayback machine magic for the nostalgic, heh: http://web.archive.org/web/20010301081044/http://desslock.gamespot.com/
I doubt I’ll revive my RPG News site. I’m a web techno-luddite, for one thing (my old site was initially administered by a partner, a practicing medical doctor, and then later by my wife, who is far more savvy at such things). It was a product of its time - the mid and late 1990s, before there were a zillion online gaming sites to provide far more information than gamers could even imagine being available.
I started the site back then because there was nobody producing the kind of comprehensive developer interviews, RPG strategy guides, coverage of industry-only events like the E3, etc. that I personally wanted to read – that seems laughable now, since there’s so much information of that type now available – print strategy guides are now far better and often as or more comprehensive than any unofficial guides could be; developers are interviewed constantly; dozens of times for each game; events like the E3 are oversaturated with coverage, and with the HD video feeds, anyone can get access to more information than they could by personally attending, etc. There’s no longer a need for that sort of thing.
Just get together with Andy Mahood and Bill Trotter and write a few musings once a month on some blog page that can be set up in 10 minutes.
Most of the coverage is on that game and offers no personal opinion or subjective look at what came before it. And that’s where individuals like yourself come in. You remember the old days…the early Ultimas and what not. As the gaming crowd matures, we’d like the opinion of aged veterans (sorry) who played the same games we did growing up, to offer us insight on the next RPG. I’d be afraid to hear a gamer’s opinion on Fallout 3 if they never played the first two. Same goes with Stacraft 2, and the myriad of sequels coming down the pipeline.
jorune
Why not make Quarter to Three the repository for credible Gaming journalists. Coming to one spot like QT3 and reading blogs from those who have moved on would be great. I’m sure even Jeff Green would like to comment on the industry from time to time (assuming he’s allowed to, not sure about contractual obligations).
Jorune
Same thing for me. The columns in the back were the one part of PC Gamer I consistently enjoyed. I always kinda wished they would cut back on the useless previews and give each column 2 or 3 pages in the back, but it ended up going the other way.
Or maybe Desslock, Andy, & co. could join Tom on Fidgit…???
Not sure how appealing it is for them to just blog for free, though :-\
I think this has been long in coming.
PC Gamer basically died the day they did a photo spread of Vede in drag. Yes, Greg, it was you that killed the magazine. You and that pink dress.
LOL
And yet they won’t give up on that damn useless CD/DVD that ends up in a stack in the corner of my office.
I can download a DVD in about an hour, Future, it’s not special anymore!
Desslock has a $3M appearance fee these days.
I liked it.
But what was up with that wierd retro art style?
I haven’t posted this yet and was going to put up a separate thread about it (and probably still will after taking care of immediate concerns), but after 10 years at GameSpy.com, I’ve also been shown the door.
This is really just the beginning. Print is getting killed by by online, and online has its own troubles with dropping ad revenue. What videogame coverage will look like by the end of the year is anyone’s guess.
Wow, sad to hear that sluggo.
Web 2.0! The wisdom of crowds!
Seriously though, I hope you quickly find something fulfilling and well-paying. I know the criticism of GameSpy has been pretty vocal and incendiary in places around the 'net, but I always had a fond spot in my heart for the 'Spy.
I’m glad this thread is here. My heart sunk last night when I sat down with my PC gamer and flipped to the back to see what the columns were this month. Then I know when to look forward to when I’ve read to the end of the magazines. I still haven’t gotten over the shock of them not being there.
What the hell? That’s really sad to hear. I suspect other editorial talent is gone, as well? I never understood why IGN and Gamespy both continued under the same ownership, but I was grateful that they did.
Troy
Sorry to hear that.
Man, so sorry Sluggo. I remember when I first started reviewing, Gamespy was just getting big. In fact, I’m fairly positive I did a review or two and some news at some point way back when.
Someone like you, who has stuck it through with them through thick and thin for more than a decade deserves better. I hope you land on your feet and get something great.
My sentiments, too. I’ve enjoyed Gamespy’s coverage over the years and pretty much ignored the IGN side of things. Sorry to see you go, sluggo.