The videogame magazine sector has been having a torrid time of it for quite a while now. Back in the 90s and early 00s, the racks were stacked (oi, none of that giggling at the back, we're British!) with mags but with the rise of the internet and access to free information, as well as the recent rising costs of paper and energy, it has been the death knell for many a publication. I still buy my monthly issues of Edge and Retro Gamer without fail but have noticed a severe reduction in the amount of magazines out there.
However, something heartening has happened in recent years; there has been a huge resurgence in the fanzine and bespoke small-press videogame journalism publishing. Niche publishers have been able to create a business for themselves by selling directly to their consumer or by being able to more easily reach their audience through targeted marketing online. It's been wonderful to see the phoenix-like return of the gaming zine scene as these independent publications offer a unique and often passionate perspective on gaming culture, often platforming diverse voices, exploring niche genres, indie games, and allowing for more personal experiences in a way that larger publications have not.
This trend is particularly interesting because it highlights the growing importance of community and shared experiences in the gaming world. Years ago, the only website (and subsequent book) was The Offworld by Leigh Alexander and I loved that. Publications like these can foster a sense of belonging and intimacy among like-minded individuals, creating spaces for discussion, debate, and celebration of all things gaming. There have been two high quality coffee table videogame magazines that have come out recently whixh I have bought and appreciated.
A Profound Waste of Time is a premium videogame magazine which features a who's who of writing talent from across gaming journalism including Simon Parkin, Matthew Castle, Matt Leone and Kat Bailey. These stalwarts of the industry were given a chance to write about whatever they wanted, which is a real boon as we see the fruits of intelligent journalists writing about topics they really care about rather than SEO diktats and clout chasing posts demanded from above.
The presentation of the essays is beautiful with stunning art styles and layouts reflecting the personality of the content. It is clearly a labour of love with an eye on aesthetics.
There are a few standout essays including:
- Simon Parkin speaking to Fumito Ueda about his work on Ico, Shadow of the Colossus and The Last Guardian,
- Ben Bertoli's deep dive into the The Life and Minds of Tim Schafer,
- Xalavier Nelson Jrs comic strip Never Again which looks at game creation, and
- Kat Bailey's Rieko Kodama Loved the World article which looks at Kodama's influence at Sega.
ON, another premium coffee table magazine about videogame culture, is designed and co-edited by former Edge Art Editor Andrew Hind. Not only is it sumptuous to look at but it also contains many wonderful articles including:
- Jen Simpkins' article on playing dress up which looks at the popularity of fashion games (including Barbie Fashion Designer which sold over a million copies and was put into the Videogame Hall of Fame in 2023),
- Youssef Cole's thoughtful piece on Life, Death and Cyberpunk 2077, and
- Nathan Brown's article on the Meditative Joys of Run-based Games.
Publishing is evolving and, while I believe it cannot beat the experience of browsing a well-stocked bricks and mortar store, I appreciate that all tastes can be catered for within this brave new world. It's a brave new world and I appreciate that good long-form writing still exists in some form.
LINK- Blood, Sweat and Pixels- Book Review
LINK- The Offworld Collection- Book Review
LINK- Shadow of the Colossus- Book Review
LINK- The Midnight Library and the Idea That You Can’t Go Home Again
LINK- Japan: My Journey to the East
LINK- Manga Exhibition at the British Museum
LINK- The Transportive Nature of Objects (And the Power of Mini Consoles)