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Post by Mole on Jan 6, 2009 18:31:29 GMT -5
I figured since Double J hasn't posted it yet, I should beat him to the punch.
Acording to a report PaidContent.org posted and then mysteriously pulled, signs point to yes. This has been a topic that has come up a few times recently, UGO buying out the 1UP network and dropping EGM, GameVideos, and FileFront, leaving just the 1UP.com website. The things that make this seem more reasonable is the person at WhatTheyPlay posting it is John Davison, former Editor-In-Chief of EGM. Given how he seems to keep in touch with the 1UP staff still, evidenced by him still being a regular member of their podcast, it would seem that he wouldn't post about it if it wasn't likely. Also, the comment about a response coming tomorrow about the validity of the story seems to be more support. If it's not true, why not just out-and-out deny it now? Kill the rumor before it spreads. Well, it makes more sense to hold off on announcement if 1UP and UGO's holding company, Hearst Corp., haven't 100% finalized the deal or had agreed to not announce the deal until tomorrow. So yeah, discuss. I mean, I'm not as concerned about EGM's demise (except for my remaining 3 years of subscription) so much as I am about the merger of 1UP and UGO. Technically, no one should be jumping to conclusions until tomorrow, but yeah. 1UP just announced/confirmed the acquisition. No mentions of EGM, but I imagine that will be discussed in the coming days.
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Post by Double J on Jan 6, 2009 18:35:06 GMT -5
 I mentioned the UGO deal in Jays Free EGM thread at least  It's a sad state of affairs, but print is basically dead. If it weren't for Game Informers Gamestop tie ins, they'd be dead. Very rarely does a magazine outside of them or Nintendo Power even have stories worth mentioning that we hadn't seen before. But a loss of 1Up in it's current form would be a god damn disgrace. Especially if you look at UGO these days. I don't think 1Up will be too greatly affect for now at least. |
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Post by Happy Pizza on Jan 6, 2009 18:35:57 GMT -5
Eh, we all knew it was gonna happen. It's depressing to be flipping through a magazine you got in the mail, and the "EXCLUSIVE HEAR IT HERE FIRST" story is something you read about two months ago.
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Post by Mole on Jan 6, 2009 18:42:18 GMT -5
The stupid thing with magazine exclusive stories is that they don't put them on the web for legal proliferation until like a month and half after the magazine ships. The worst thing about the whole UGO/1UP side of the deal is that until the first time this rumor came up I had totally thought they were dead. It'd be like GamesRadar buying IGN. If they find some way of keeping them their own entity, that'd be fine, however it'd be intellectually- disabled for Hearst to own two gaming news sites, and I don't think they'd be willing to can all of UGO. If nothing else, it'll be interesting to see what happens. In case people didn't read the bottom of the first post, 1UP just announced/confirmed the acquisition. No mentions of EGM, but I imagine that will be discussed in the coming days. |
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Post by Double J on Jan 6, 2009 18:46:31 GMT -5
I suspect UGO will become the figure head company. They are the backers behind lots of popular other sites, like X-Entertainment and whatnot. I suspect their game section will be dissolved into 1Up and it'll be 1Up part of the UGO Network and UGO would be more for the media end and goofball non-professional gaming articles that they do.
1Up and their staff of writers are too valuable to the gaming community to just crap can right now. In a few years though, 1Up may be gone.
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Post by T R W on Jan 6, 2009 18:52:33 GMT -5
I am kind of sad. I guess it is the old fogey in me, but I actually prefer my gaming news in a nice, easy to read magazine. I find looking for decent, reliable game info and reviews online to be more trouble than it is worth. I know it is the old fogey in me, and I am in the minority, but I am saddened. But the quality of EGM has been steadily decling for years.
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Post by Mole on Jan 6, 2009 18:52:58 GMT -5
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Post by Double J on Jan 6, 2009 18:53:38 GMT -5
The few good that came out of EGM in recent memories have been their Hsu articles and their excuse to break NDA's without technically breaking NDA's in the Quarterman.
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Post by Mole on Jan 6, 2009 18:56:27 GMT -5
The majority of stuff I liked about EGM is available on 1UP.com. As a side note, I love how WFigs's Message board has it confirmed now and Joystiq and Kotaku don't.
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Post by Double J on Jan 6, 2009 19:00:44 GMT -5
Justin McElroy of Joystiq has updated his Twitter about it at least |
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Post by Mole on Jan 6, 2009 19:02:17 GMT -5
I'm kinda curious as to how long they were preparing for this. I mean, there was no real reason to change EGM Live into 1UP FM unless they knew it wouldn't survive the deal they were making with UGO.
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Post by Double J on Jan 6, 2009 19:04:10 GMT -5
The EGM folding rumors have been floating for the better part of '08. Print for ZD has just been miserable for them. There's no money in it. It's why Nintendo no longer publishes Nintendo Power.
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Post by T R W on Jan 6, 2009 19:05:34 GMT -5
What about Diehard Gamefan?
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Post by Double J on Jan 6, 2009 19:12:46 GMT -5
It's sad that the only classic gaming rag that might still be around is Gamepro. Overall I give this news:  |
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Post by T R W on Jan 6, 2009 19:23:19 GMT -5
Christ, they still make Game Pro? That hasn't been good in like....at least 12 years.
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Post by Mole on Jan 6, 2009 20:47:17 GMT -5
It's sounding like the acquisition is going to end up being a whole lot more hostile than anyone thought. Apparently all of the podcasts are dead, and there is apparently a growing list of people who are fired/quitting.
I'm not sure how accurate it is, given the source, but here is the list of layoffs I've found:
Laid Off
Ryan O Donnell
Matt Chandronait
Andrew Pfister
Philip Kollar
Nick Suttner
James Mielke
Shane Bettenhausen
Anthony Gallegos
Wow, what a way to acquire something. Kill off what makes it unique and hope no one is smart enough to tell the difference.
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Dekabreak
Main Eventer
lel
Joined on: Dec 29, 2005 17:13:19 GMT -5
Posts: 3,682
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Post by Dekabreak on Jan 6, 2009 22:12:18 GMT -5
I'd care less. EGM was on decline anyway. Hsu leaving was the nail to the coffin of EGM right there.
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Post by DZ: WF Legacy on Jan 6, 2009 22:18:03 GMT -5
It's sad that the only classic gaming rag that might still be around is Gamepro. Overall I give this news: lmao, +1 |
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Post by Mole on Jan 6, 2009 22:34:07 GMT -5
Joystiq got the list of all of the 1UP employees laid off. So, yeah, even if UGO wanted to do the podcasts again, they'd have to get whole new casts for it since good chunks of them are gone now.
Adrian Frieg
Amy Mishra
Amy Moran
Andrea Garcia
Andrew Fitch
Andrew "Skip" Pfister
Anthony Gallegos
Cesar Quintero
Christina Rosa
CoyLou Steel
Derek Chinn
Doug Parsons
Eric Ellis
Giancarlo Varanini
Greg Ford
James "Milkman" Mielke
Jason Bertrand
Jason Wilson
Jervilyn Jaramillo
Justin Frechette
Leslie Gelfand
Marci Yamaguchi
Matt Chandronait
May Tong
Meredith Stowe
Michael Donahoe
Monique Convertito
Ndubuisi Madu
Nick Suttner
Norris Boothe
Philip Kollar
Rey Serrano
Robert Bowen
Rosemary Pinkham
Ryan O'Donnell
Ryan Scott
Shane Bettenhausen
Simon Cox
Tammy Ross
Tipler Ubbelohde
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Post by moocow on Jan 6, 2009 22:37:20 GMT -5
What about my free magazines? |
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