As you probably know, 1UP.com was recently bought by UGO. And with this merge comes tons of layoffs, including many loved writers like Shane Bettenhausen, Greg Ford, and James “Milkman” Mielke. Also due to this merge, 1UP's magazine, Electronic Gaming Monthly, all the loved 1UP podcasts, and the 1UP Show are gone.
So I'd like to take this post and wish the 1up and EGM teams good luck and thanks for all you guys have done. Though I didn't particularly follow your site and blogs as many (more hardcore) fans did, I did read quite a few of your previews and reviews. And every time I really loved what you guys wrote and how much passion you have for the industry.
As for EGM, despite it having a huge fan base, I didn't particularly love it. It was good and all but I didn't turn to it first for print news. Even so, the magazine was really well done and was one of my first game magazines to read. Excellent job guys.
And finally, I'd like to voice my deepest sorrow for all of you who lost your jobs. Working for 1UP and EGM would be a dream job for me and was probably one of your favorite jobs. At least working for 1up will be good on your resumes, and I hope you all can find jobs doing something with video games or something else you love.
And as for UGO, who bought 1UP and canceled EGM and their podcasts, I'm in two mindsets: one, fuck you UGO for destroying 1UP! and two, thanks for saving the website from this shitty economy. But alas I'm more in the former category since by firing all the loved staff and taking away EGM and the podcasts, all UGO has now is a lifeless body that is a website without the soul and life that was the staff.
And one last time. R.I.P. 1UP and EGM. You will be sorely missed, even by your not-so-devoted followers like me. If you're wanting to read more about this, check out GoNintendo, they have had tons of updates concerning how and why this happened and many people's opinions from both 1UP and UGO. And definitely check out Milkman's blog post: The Last Day of EGM, The Secret Lost Final Issue of EGM for a really heartwarming and sad (an oxymoron perhaps?) look on the final days of 1UP's staff and the final, 20th anniversary issue of EGM, which will only be available digitally.
Comments or questions? Drop an email to kylehogg@gmail.com or leave a comment below...
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Sucks, though I'm only on a free 1 year sub for EGM so I'm not losing out. I feel bad for all of the folks paying the for the mag, and i feel worse for the staff that has to deal with all those refunds.
ReplyDeleteits definitely sad to see them go. They were a staple of the gaming world before it became as mainstream as it is now.
ReplyDeleteI really can't say I'll miss them.
ReplyDeleteWith reviews filled with hyperbole, not reviewing games because they're "non-games", and just generally having an unprofessional attitude (the status quo of this industry it seems), it's hard to like them.
They may have been a staple of the frat boy side of the gaming world, but in order for the industry to grow up, places like that need to go.