Total PC Gaming magazine is no more

IT Troll · 20 Mar 2010 at 09:33

Just got a letter through the post that issue 31 is the last issue of Total PC Gaming to be produced. All existing subscriptions will be transferred to Games TM (a multi format magazine).

Bit annoyed that this has come just after they increased my subscription. So much for my "valued and continuing" support.

Any views of which of the remaining gaming mags are worth reading?

Metalface Mark · 20 Mar 2010 at 09:36

Its a shame, but it went downhill when they made the stupid decision to include a DVD, it was worth buying because they didnt have one at the start, magazines really need to look at why they are still including these, they are just not necessary in this day and age.

Teaf · 20 Mar 2010 at 09:37

IT Troll said:
Any views of which of the remaining gaming mags are worth reading?

Edge I'd say, but it's multiformat.

Rimsy · 20 Mar 2010 at 09:41

Thats really sad news - was the last good english PC Gaming magazine (though i have to agree - once they started adding free crap I stopped buying it).

CaptainRAVE · 20 Mar 2010 at 09:54

Quite sad news - picked a copy up once, seemed like a good magazine.

Vern1961 · 20 Mar 2010 at 10:48

Bought this for a while when it first came out and it was certainly +1 over the other PC rags.

They did have a habit of duplicating reviews on their website a couple of months after publication which probably didn't help sales to those who baulk at paying £4 - £6 for a disposable magazine.

As with everything else, there's so much information for free on the Internet it's easier and cheaper to do your research there instead of waiting three weeks for a biased or bunged review.

Spyke_UK · 20 Mar 2010 at 11:16

Metalface Mark said:
Its a shame, but it went downhill when they made the stupid decision to include a DVD, it was worth buying because they didnt have one at the start, magazines really need to look at why they are still including these, they are just not necessary in this day and age.

+1, The 1st copy i bought was the last one before they changed it, it was brilliant!, and it really did change for the worse after that, every issue from that point just seemed to be poorer than the one before it.

Qdos · 20 Mar 2010 at 11:34

For PC gaming, it's got to PC Gamer surely?
I'm a multi platform guy, so I do like Games Tm, Edge from time to time. I'll get PC Gamer occasionally, if there's a decent article in there. Same with Custom PC.

Surfer · 20 Mar 2010 at 12:15

pc zone still around? used to sub yonks ago.

kmufc77 · 20 Mar 2010 at 12:18

Qdos said:
For PC gaming, it's got to PC Gamer surely?
I'm a multi platform guy, so I do like Games Tm, Edge from time to time. I'll get PC Gamer occasionally, if there's a decent article in there. Same with Custom PC.

+1, i subscribe to PC Gamer,really good read.

ozzaman · 20 Mar 2010 at 12:45

Edge always smacks of pretentious garbage to me?

Rimsy · 20 Mar 2010 at 13:39

ozzaman said:
Edge always smacks of pretentious garbage to me?

used to sub to edge about 10 years ago - was always like that, but they do generally have pretty decent journalists as far as gaming journalists go (which lets face it - most are ****e)

Rimsy · 20 Mar 2010 at 13:41

Surfer said:
pc zone still around? used to sub yonks ago.

It is, but its just an imitation of PC Gamer now (published by the same company I believe).
The humour and wit which separated the two mags has gone now - may aswell just condense them into one mag... which I'm sure will happen at some point.

neoboy · 20 Mar 2010 at 13:44

Well to be fair the numbers of magazines sold have been going downhill a lot lately so it's really now the survival of the fittest, so really for PC market we're looking at PC Gamer and PC Zone now.

chaparral · 20 Mar 2010 at 16:29

IT Troll said:
Any views of which of the remaining gaming mags are worth reading?

Why not read the online PC reviews for free :confused:

Sleepery · 20 Mar 2010 at 16:34

Games TM is about the best of the remainder, it's multiformat though, a bit like Edge but without the pretentious attitude.

I stopped buying Total PC Gaming when they started adding rubbish too

arc@css · 20 Mar 2010 at 16:36

Used to get Edge, thought it wasn't bad at all but I just use online these days. Way cheaper.

CooK1E · 20 Mar 2010 at 16:47

I always thought Edge was a pretty good magazine, alhough i have to admit that I've not read it recently.

Lunatic Dreyfus · 20 Mar 2010 at 17:19

Rimsy said:
It is, but its just an imitation of PC Gamer now (published by the same company I believe).
The humour and wit which separated the two mags has gone now - may aswell just condense them into one mag... which I'm sure will happen at some point.

Yeah, many years ago Gamer and Zone used to be utterly different, however once they both drifted to a middle ground they lost my money.

I'm slightly surprised people are still paying £5+ for a mag that's already badly out of date by sale day.

Devlish · 20 Mar 2010 at 17:21

They thought they could add a 20p disc and charge an extra 2 quid. Shame because I thought it was really well priced without the damn DVD. That just made them the same as every other mag although without the fanbase and hey presto!

I was a fan of pc gamer until some really poor reviews made me check out more stuff online. Next step is for mags to go electronic, taking advantage of e-readers and drop in price substantially as they won't have printing and distribution costs. Otherwise they're just all going To go to the wall.