For the past several months, Ziff Davis Media has been in the process of bankruptcy, despite predictions to have “[emerged] from Chapter 11″ by July 1^st. When I first heard of the plan, I was more than a little surprised, as the 1UP Yours podcast (one of many Ziff Davis web shows) was one of my long-standing favorites. Their 1 to 2 hour-long show starring Luke, Shane, Garnett, and John Davison was a weekly staple, along with Diggnation, Astronomy Cast, and Physics for Future Presidents.

Read More »

It seems the end of an era is at hand – last month 1up.com announced that Games for Windows will be switching to an online-only format. The April/May edition marks the final print issue.

Read More »

Technically the magazine’s owner Ziff Davis hasn’t shut down or anything like that. But they did file for bankruptcy last week and have started throwing around corporate terms like restructuring. We’ve all heard a similar terms before — downsizing, transitioning, and reorganization. The reality to that plan is that some people are going to be out of work.

The company cites poor subscriptions and ad revenue as the central reason for them being in this hole which raises the question — is their core publication, Electronic Gaming Monthly relevant anymore? Is this trouble with Ziff Davis a reflection of our digital, electronic age where people just don’t read magazines any more? The company publishes other mags like PC Weekly and Games for Windows but with less people signing up for subscriptions what does that mean for these publications as a whole. There are certainly enough gaming zines out there. All you need to do is go down to your local Borders to see them. You have to wonder though — who is reading them?
Read More »