This sort of thing is cyclical. It happened when the dotcom bubble burst, which is when I stopped making money from writing about videogames and reviewing videocards and whatnot and got a real job myself. I suggest you guys do the same. Write for one of those cool new indie sites like crispygamer, giantbomb, etc, on the side to keep your pencils sharp, but don’t rely upon that revenue to pay the bills. When the economy comes back, those jobs will too-- but maybe you’ll be happy sidelining by then anyway.
Sad news, indeed. Godspeed, Mr. Accardo.
Something that will suck really really bad.
Dude, sluggo with 10 years at his apparently not “real job” has had far more stability than I have had over the same time (as company after company I work for folds or gets downsized).
And I don’t know that anyone could say this is just another cycle. Some fundamentals seem to be shifting here and I couldn’t say if things will return to the way they were before.
Honestly, sluggo, you should have been kicked out a year ago so you can go to where you belong, Harmonix.
You know what I mean. Some people stay in positions connected to gaming even when they’d make more money, have better hours, benefits, etc, elsewhere, due to the cool factor.
Sal, I’m really sorry to hear that. I’ve always enjoyed your articles. Good luck to you.
True enough. I have no idea how well paid sluggo was at Gamespy but I figure if he was there for 10 years it couldn’t have been shabby, at the very least. :)
EDIT: And I will – and have – taken jobs that pay less when the work is more engaging. After I’ve got all my basic needs/wants covered, money is only one factor and not the most important. I guess it depends on the individual.
Very sad to hear that, and hopes for a quick landing somewhere else.
Somehow, I suspect that the crumbling of so many sites, mags, etc. is creating an opportunity for one very high quality outlet. It would certainly be easier to differentiate yourself today.
Wow, sorry to hear that, Sal. Godspeed.
-Julian
“There’s no longer a need for that sort of thing.”
It really is sad that we have come to that.
The column was always a great read.
Sorry to hear about this sluggo. I really enjoyed your articles and coverage. Especially your coverage of music games.
I don’t know if Harmonix really needs me. They seem to have a pretty good handle on what works.
On the other hand, I suspect there’s quite a bit I could do to help Neversoft and the Guitar Hero franchise in a hurry. :)
That said, thanks for all the nice comments and warm wishes. I do expect to continue covering games in some form, but exactly how is something I still need to sort out.
Jesus, the bloodbath continues. Condolences to you all.
Not to say I wouldn’t wear, or haven’t worn, or don’t always wear pink dresses, but did I actually wear one in the mag? I honestly don’t recall. And was it really a spread? Did it make my ass look big?
-Vede
Sorry to hear that, Sluggo - hope everything works out for the best.
Well, Christ, now that I’ve read the entire thread, my last post makes me look like a real ass. (Even more than usual.)
Hadn’t yet read your post, Sluggo. Sorry to hear the news.
And to all the ex-columnists at PCG, thank you so much for all the hard work and valuable insights. You will be missed.
-Vede
On the bright side, I might be able to cancel my going on 15 year subscription before they go belly up.
This is an incredibly stupid move. Columnists were the one thing PC Gamer did well and the one thing that put space between them and the web. It’s not like I need print for previews and reviews.
Yeah this stinks. Good luck to everyone involved and to you too sluggo. Hope you find something even better.
This whole thread kinda sucks. Sorry about your lost job, sluggo. You did great work there. And the columns really were one of the best parts of PC Gamer. Unfortunately, I had heard they might be ending sooner rather than later, and it really sucked when I heard it then, too. :(
Andy Mahood had been there for, jeez… ten years?