Tech Olive

According to a recent news post by Ziff Davis, they will be selling 1UP, and ending the Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) publication. Next month is to be EGM’s last issue. 1UP confirmed the news in this post.

The original post;

Since finishing up its Chapter 11 proceedings last summer, Ziff Davis has sought to devote more energy to building up the PC Mag online network. Before this, Ziff Davis’ biggest step in the streamlining process involved the shuttering of PC Mag as a print product in November. As for Hearst’s UGO, the addition of 1UP’s sites is designed to further consolidate its efforts to build up content for gamers since Hearst bought the 11-year-old male-centric entertainment company in July 2007.

Looking to conserve its resources for its PC Mag Digital business, Ziff Davis Media has sold off the 1UP Digital Network, its collection of video game sites, to Hearst Corp., which will fold it into the UGO Entertainment division, the companies said. In conjunction with the sale, the related print mag Electronic Gaming Monthly will publish its last issue this month. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

I don’t know about you guys, but this saddens me. It sucks to see these magazines go out of print. Obviously, it was only a matter of time, because of all the advantages that digital-publication offer over print, but I still enjoy sitting down and reading a physical magazine. However, an interesting fact about all this is that EGM could actually live on as a print magazine. Because if you notice, 1UP has removed all references to EGM ending their publication, even in the confirmation post they made. Is it possible that EGM will live on?

UPDATE: It seems that the sale has gone forward, EGM has indeed ended publication, with their next issue to be their last. Also Ziff Davis has cut about 30 employees. One can only assume this is a result of the sale.