Game Informer is shutting down

Sad, but not surprising. Physical game magazines today are not what they used to be. I actually subscribe due to my GameStop membership, and you could tell it was getting worse. Content was getting smaller and it wasn’t much different than just going to a game website. Thoughts, SW? Will you miss gaming magazines?

Sad but inevitable. I was big into gaming magazines back in the day with Electronic Gaming Monthly, Gamefan, and Nintendo Power. Use to get them every month and had stacks of them. Got rid of them all like 10 or 12 years ago. Wish I had kept them though. Sometimes think it’d be nice to flip through them once in a while to reminisce.

Insanely impressive that they survived this long, and were able to get so many exclusive previews.

Given the state of print media, not surprised. Even putting Gamestop's ownership aside, people rely more on YouTubers, especially grifty ones.

EGM and NP certainly were memorable but I don't remember Gamefan.

The days of EGM breaking photos of SMB3 or the first Madden that came to Genesis were something special.

Sometimes I do buy Retro Gamer and although it is pricey it still is enjoyable.

That sucks

@Archangel3371:It would be nice but you can at least find them electronically on archive.org even in CBR format

@Solaryellow: Gamefan was an excellent magazine. Top quality paper, pictures, and coverage. Looked and felt very premium.

I actually didn't mind subscribing to this when I use to buy more stuff from GameStop, since it was included in the membership, but since I've mostly shifted to digital in last decade I've not bothered to renew.

Yeah it's sad, I used to subscribe through EB Games here in Aus. I enjoyed it.

Nintendo Magazine is next. Be ready, sheep.

I miss magazines but, sadly, it is a format that has been replaced by the internet. They tried to justify the expense but, with things changing so fast and everything from reviews to tutorials being available online....hard to keep up.

There use to be things like demo discs and such like too....always a highlight when the mag arrived. Now demos are just a click away.

We definitely lost on the quality of reviews. We were the reviewers customers when it came to mags. But the game publishers/hardware vendors are now their customers. It has changed more from reviews to a form of advertising in many places sadly.

Still: PC Format, PC Zone, PC Gamer, Linux Format (Tried my first distro from an attached DVD on that one: Mandrake 10.1).....Good times.

Damn ... that's sad.

I honestly didn't know it was still around. I don't go in gamestop, so i never see it myself.

It's always sad to see people lose their jobs, but print media is a dying industry.

@SolidGame_basic: I’m with you on this topic.

With everything being digital, it’s really difficult to maintain a paper business.

Btw, is they’re online portion shutting down, as well??

Soon everything would be digital and when a global disaster occurs we would have not remnants of our time.

When the digital doom eventually happens I will not care because nothing of value will be lost.

I will just take my backpack and trek into nature, never looking back.

@R4gn4r0k: I’m taking my ball and going home. 😎

In all seriousness though, I see your point.

That is my end goal.

We need to bring back game mags that just had lots of hot woman with cleavage taking up half the page with a tiny bit of text.

People will listen to game journos again.

You’re going to follow R0k into the woods? Creepy..

If it wasn't part of the gamestop membership I probably would've never subbed, but it was a good magazine and I enjoyed reading it eachonth when I was subscribed. It's not a profit business to be making magazines anymore. Surprised they kept it floating this long.

It’s a shame. I used to love getting the PlayStation underground magazines and was disappointed when they stopped coming out. I remember going to a Chapters book store looking for a video game magazine last year and there was none besides a retro gamer mag. I prefer physical media over today’s online stuff but unfortunately that’s quickly becoming a thing of the past. Even a lot of towns have canceled their local newspapers.

Definitely sad as I grew up with GMR which was better than Gameinformer with the coupons and strategy guides. Though seeing Gameinformer close is sad, I remember reading the magazine through 2004-2012 though would sign up years later around 2019 only for it to digital and downhill.

Game Informer was the reason why I was a GameStop membership in the first place over a decade ago! But when social media for gaming became a thing, it became the very thing getting gaming information on the fly rather than to wait a month to get any update on games. Even YouTube played a part in this as well. Game Informer mags we're getting smaller as they focus on their digital page as it made sense so there was no point of keep getting magazines from them in the first place. 33yrs of video game mags is a very long time to stay this alive. Sad to see it go but social media for gaming just makes gaming life easier. Same applies for E3's demise.

I stopped getting this back in 2011
I have all of the stuff still from jan 1999 to mid 2010 and some years scattered after that
sad to see this day come though

Kinda reminds me of Gametrailers when they closed down.

It just becomes too costly to produce these magazines on top of dwindling readers.

You would be the only one that would come to such a conclusion.🤭

There was something tangible about having something physical in your hands to interact with, regardless if its a magazine or game hardware/software. I still remember reading issues in GI that had exclusive coverage of Zelda OOT or Elder Scrolls Oblivion and being wowed by it all. If you are in pocession of physical items you think might be junk, don't throw them away as they might be worth a lot in the future.

Definitely was an important part of my gaming life growing up, but was inevitable.

I'm surprised they lasted this long to be honest. If they didn't force the integration with GameStop pro some years ago, it probably would've died back then.

Definitely sad, but honestly can't remember when I last read a physical magazine aside from old remnants at the doctor's office.

What really sucks is the fact Game Informer was legit on not doing any unbiased gaming news and hobby. But really, I don't think anyone saw this coming as this is truly shocking as there was no hints on closing Game Informer for good. What really bothers me is the fact gaming media is going to be more and more of a monopoly, A.I arts taking over is the biggest concerns when Game Informer has had the coolest cover art around. I wish I could've still been part of Game Informer but being partnership with GameStop was the big reason why I left them.

This one's for you @SecretPolice as I too love their Halo covers:

It was always the weakest of the magazines for me, but it's still sad to see it go. I enjoyed flipping through the pages for a number of years.

I wouldn't go THAT far. I remember their Wii era reviews. Eep!

Don't think I've ever read it.

There's a Nintendo magazine? Only for the US, probably..

They did great coverage of FF7 Rebirth this year. I also enjoyed the rapid fire interviews from the last few years lol

@Litchie: Hasn't been a Nintendo mag for years in Aus, unfortunately.

Picked these up as collectors items. GameStop is clearing these out.

Wow

Nintendo Power, GameInformer, GamePro, and Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) were the holy quartet when i was a kid.

The last of the old guard has finally fallen.

RIP legend.

RIP print gaming journalism.

So sad. The nostalgia.