R.I.P., Computer Game Magazine Demo Discs - PC Gamer US drops the disc

[A Black Falcon]

I know, it's completely pathetic. In Europe they've gotten DVDs, often double-sided ones, for years and years, but PCG and CGW? CDs unless it was a special one funded by some MMO or something that wanted it on a DVD. Pretty lame. I don't think our lower magazine prices entirely make up for the disparity...

As I said, I can see ditching CDs. I just wish it was in favor of DVDs instead of nothing. I give some reasons why discs are nice with magazines, even with the internet (it exposes you to things you probably wouldn't otherwise try, it gives you more product for your money, etc).

Also, I don't entirely disagree that gaming magazines are a bit dated -- remember, I didn't subscribe to any (that cost me anything) from 2002 to 2009. That's quite a while. And I only re-subscribed to PCG last summer because of the $5 subscription deal (that's the same reason I re-subscribed to Nintendo Power at the same time; I hadn't been an NP subscriber since 1997, though I had read issues sometimes at the library.)

As for the value of a magazine though, whether it's for gaming, news, or what have you, yes, the internet absolutely has hurt magazines a lot, and for some good reasons. I do still like magazines, though -- beyond just gaming mags, while I don't subscribe to them myself my mom does get Newsweek, and I read it when I'm there for sure. I like some other magazines too, like National Geographic, etc. The feel of having an actual magazine in front of you is better than reading the same article online, it really is...

And also, while this applies to gaming less because of the lower quality of the work in general, journalism is in pretty bad shape these days. The internet doesn't pay the bills, it just doesn't. Where are we supposed to get journalism from if the newspapers and magazines all lay off their staff? Websites don't have investigative journalists. Nor do many newspapers now, due to all the damage from dropping subscriptions. It's inevitable and understandable, but it is creating big holes in our media world that are not being filled.

This certainly affects serious news a lot more than gaming stuff, if just because gaming magazines have rarely been known for particularly good journalism (for good reason), but some of it does carry over I think.