Sentimental Note on EGM’s closing

It’s not the acquisition of the 1UP network that shocks me. It’s not even the practical reality that EGM has shut down. What rings a deep sentimental note at the recesses of my geeky heart is the death of a pop culture icon – the idea that Electronic Gaming Monthly, a title that has survived the evolution of product naming (Hello, who’d name their publication “Electronic Gaming” nowadays??), is now being put to rest.

Sure, we can go on and discuss the overarching theme of how print publications are slowly losing their steam. Ziff Davis already shut down PC Magazine’s print edition and now, another big title has been put to rest.

There are still some niches that rely heavily on glossy magazines as a way to deliver content – I’d assume the opulent would still want their hold on a glossy copy of their face in the latest monthly. But those are small exceptions to the reality that publishing is evolving and when the big guns close shop, the small ones are jerked to listen.

Their December 2008 issue cover is obviously a staff decision for premonitions of things to come.