Is there a place for MMO magazines?
by Zach Yonzon 
Mar 4th 2010 at 11:00AM
I subscribed to the World of Warcraft magazine mostly out of a love for the print medium, even though I'm well aware that the information published therein could be made obsolete by a single patch or hotfix. Working for WoW.com, I understand the value of online content which can be updated very quickly and frequently. Best of all, most online magazines (as opposed to Aion's digital format) are free. That said, the World of Warcraft magazine looked gorgeous from the previews and from an artistic standpoint, I always believed there was value in a well-made and laid out publication.
I'll have a better idea of what to think when my magazine actually arrives. That's the other thing. Aion's digital-only magazine will presumably be available for download, giving instant gratification. Online magazines are just one web browser away. The World of Warcraft magazine, on the other hand, was due to come out in the 4th quarter last year but encountered a few bumps along the road and was pushed back ever so slightly. When we learned that it finally started shipping early this year, I was pretty stoked to get my hands on one. But it's now March and nothing has arrived in the mail, so that's a big minus for print subscriptions right there. Sure, I live in Asia, but I paid my $69.95 just like everybody else. I'd almost forgotten about it, actually, but Massively's post about Aion's mag reminded me and got me more than a little upset that I haven't gotten my copy two months after folks started getting theirs. Kwurky can only keep me amused for so long, after all.
Most of the WoW.com team passed on the World of Warcraft magazine for practical reasons. There simply wasn't any way for it to keep its information up to date with the game, making it less valuable as a resource. The game changes so fast and so often that the entire team scrambles to get posts up every time something big happens in the game. It's hard to imagine a print magazine that comes out quarterly having the same relevance, especially when it talks about game strategy. Still, I subscribed because I just love looking at art. If there's anything the magazine has, it's chock-full of gorgeous art from some of the best fantasy artists in the industry.
Aion's digital magazine might make a little more sense in that it does away with any shipping times and possible complications. It also comes out every four weeks, which should be frequent enough for feature stories and the like. The Aion magazine spices things up by giving in-game items with the purchase, not unlike Blizzard's offering of plushies which come with in-game pets. In that regard, the Aion magazine doesn't seem like such a bad idea. But the World of Warcraft magazine? Unless you were at BlizzCon, where you got a free Kwurky plushie by pre-ordering, there's not much incentive to get a print magazine about the ever-changing World of Warcraft.
Unless, of course, you just like gorgeous art. I bought the Art of the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game coffee table book just to ogle, so maybe I'm predisposed to getting the magazine, anyway. The magazine also tries to add value by being "collectible" and featuring exclusive interviews with Blizzard developers. Does Aion's launch of their own magazine mean there's actually some sense in MMO magazines? It's difficult to compare print and digital, obviously, but the idea is the same. Could it indicate that the World of Warcraft magazine is on to something? Or are both ventures doomed to failure? We'll find out soon enough.
Filed under: Blizzard
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
(cutaia) Mar 4th 2010 11:07AM
I subscribed to the WoW magazine because EGM went belly up and I needed something to read in the bathroom in the morning.
It's a nice little publication, though.
theminifig Mar 4th 2010 11:35AM
EGM is coming back.
Just look it up.
Steve Harris is on Facebook and rebought 100% of the rights.
(cutaia) Mar 4th 2010 3:48PM
Really? Nice! Thanks man.
Dawts Mar 4th 2010 11:08AM
I'm just not sure there can be enough real info to cover a game. I mean sure a lot happens but we usually know things before they happen from places like wow.com and mmochampion.
Arrav Mar 4th 2010 11:09AM
I would only buy the subscription if it came with an ingame bonus of somesort, if not, pass. its like the strategy guides for WoW, sooner or later, that info will be completly useless.
p.s. you serious? EGM went belly up?
Arrav Mar 4th 2010 11:13AM
just wanted to add on, i feel the internet is a big thing against magazines. honestly how fast information spreads on here astounds me. it would take one person to get information from the magazine onto WoW.com, mmo-champion, and possibly the depths of my facebook. there just isnt much use for a magazine.
(cutaia) Mar 4th 2010 4:03PM
"there just isnt much use for a magazine."
If you judge everything in the world strictly on utilitarian purposes only, then yes.
But sometimes it's nice to get off the compter, hold something in your hands and flip through the pages. There will always be people like me who enjoy having a shelf full of books and cds instead of a Kindle and an iPod.
Outlier Mar 4th 2010 11:10AM
Someone playing a MMO would probably be the target audience of a MMO Magazine. Said person would then by definition have internet access. So yes, as the article states, you wouldn't be getting it for up to the minute news. So in place of this, there needs to be unique insight, exclusive promotional offers and many more perks to be worth the purchase. If someone does figure out how to sell a MMO magazine to online gamers, tell the Newspapers. They really really need help in today's twitter/google age.
cdubaldo Mar 4th 2010 11:15AM
"The magazine announcement actually begs the question about whether there's much sense in publishing magazines for an MMO, a constantly evolving and growing game."
Au contraire, an MMO based magazine about MMOs at large of specifically about WoW could be successful as there's always news, updates etc to be covered whereas there'ds just no demand for a periodical magazine covering just say Super Mario Bros 4. In other words, one off guides are better suited to offline games whereas magazines are better suited to MMOs. Yes, I know there are WoW guides out there but I keep wondering who's buying those as it's guaranteed to be outdated in a very short time frame.
Having said that, whether printed material has any future in an online world is another question alltogether which is what I believe the author was actually asking.
dmasterd20 Mar 4th 2010 11:19AM
This is a odd, while Dungeon and Dragon magazines have existed in paper format for a very long time they now are apart of e-format. Outlier is absolutely right. Insight would be class tree builds. Will i buy it, no. Much like a newspaper the internet is way more powerful
Sequoian Mar 4th 2010 11:16AM
I loved the idea of a WoW magazine, although I did understand
that the information gameplay wise would be irrelevant in weeks
to come I wont be reading it then it will take me a few days
to get through the main info about in-game content and then
the rest like lore art interviews I will pick at over the time.
I dont think its just all tactics changes walkthroughs and stuff
I heard it has interviews lore future plans and an insight/behind
the works of the game too which would be an interesting read.
That said I dont have my copy yet either I preordered it at the start
of February and it still hasn't came, I live in the UK. I saw that it said
something about preorder before the 2nd of march to guarantee a copy
of the 1st issue on time, for the UK adds at least.
jp Mar 4th 2010 11:23AM
I would say that Printed Media is on the decline in a big big way. Anyone who begins into this medium is doing the same as taking money tossing it in a barrel and lighting it on fire.
Andytizer Mar 4th 2010 11:49AM
I would definitely be more interested if they offered in-game vanity items, and a digital version of the magazine included alongside the paper edition for reading on a smartphone and tablet.
theminifig Mar 4th 2010 11:36AM
You mean.. AION is ... that successful that NC Soft thought that they could actually make a magazine for it's players?
Wow.. I find that really amusing.
Arwald Mar 4th 2010 1:27PM
No, they just think it is.
Chilblain Mar 4th 2010 11:42AM
I subscribed to the WoW magazine and it's not what you think. It's big, first. The artwork is great, but it has a lot of fascinating articles about development, future plans, a great WoW retrospective tracing the history of the game (with screenshots of the alpha UI). It has a strategy guide for Arathi Basin, which is still useful.
I didn't buy it for up-to-the-minute news, and it doesn't pretend to offer that. But one has to think that because Blizzard is doing it, you might see a Cataclysm preview in the magazine with exclusive interviews and artwork -- things WoW.com won't have.
So it's two different things. I had reservations also, because the Blizzcast is dated information but I really like the magazine so far. Don't expect the Washington Post when you read it and you may like it too.
So don't worry, WoW.com. You'll still be my source for copy-pasting patch notes 14 times for each class/spec.
As for NCSoft's magazine... Remember the comic they did for City of Heroes players? This will probably last about as long.
Joonces Mar 4th 2010 11:50AM
One of the things that makes the Warcraft magazine viable is that it is print-on-demand. It's the reason you are waiting longer to get your magazine. Unlike a regular magazine that will print XXX,XXX number at once and then send them out to subscribers and newsstands, the Warcraft magazine is printing the exact amount needed.
So from that standpoint, assuming they've priced it right, you don't have the waste that goes with regular magazine printing. (Seriously, the amount they print for newsstands and what actually sells is amazing.)
Now whether the information is something you want, that's another story. Personally, mine just arrived and I'm enjoying the read and the artwork. Most of the info (so far) is more general (i.e. maps of how they're rezoning the leveling experience in Cataclysm, worgen/goblin art, etc.), not specific gameplay mechanics.
Doulmagnus Mar 4th 2010 11:53AM
They need to give stuff away with each WoW Magazine, like 1k UDE points for a Lando box, or maybe a Grunty code, or some of the other stuff thats available to be used in game. The information is always gonna be steps behind the internet sites. Maybe give us a redux on the plushies or something...
RetPallyJil Mar 4th 2010 12:03PM
Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I place much greater value on something I can hold in my hands.
Socialcockroach Mar 4th 2010 12:05PM
I guess I could see a periodic magazine that had a lot of in-game tips from the devs. For instance, on every issue they could have pages with zone maps that show where all the resource nods spawn, or maybe the patrol routes of rare mobs. Of coarse, there would be tips on how to play a class from a developer's point of view and why mechanics were designed the way they were, along with raid encounters. Also, there could be a section on statistical data about auction house activities... maybe they focus on some of the items that are sold most often or perhaps even have their own sort of "insider trading" column about buying/selling trends. They could also do demographic information and display horde vs alliance populations on different servers, as well as pvp/pve performance, and class distribution.... even how much money is on a server as that would give a rough idea what the economy of said server is like, assuming you were interested in a transfer. I know that there are a lot of add-ons and websites that have this sort of information available but it is hard to be sure how accurate the information is. To have that kind of data from the source its self is a lot more comprehensive than Bob's part-time blog.
All in all though, I think a lot of the above information would begin to feel too much like "real life" for people's taste and the general audiences probably wouldn't read it too much. But, I think that if the information was varied enough, every one would have some use for it at some point or another, and there are always those who take the game seriously enough where they would probably be regular subscribers.