In news that has caused a lot of surprised "woah" noises around the Destructoid water cooler, and doubtless water coolers all over the games blogging world, it has come to light that Ziff Davis, the name behind 1UP, EGM magazine and Games for Windows magazine, has filed for chapter 11 in a bid to combat rising debts that collectively amount to almost $400 million. Who knew things were that bad?
One thing that is to be made perfectly clear is that this isn't the end of the company, and that 1UP is still, well, up. It's certainly not the kind of decision that any media network owner would like to have to make, however, and the fact of the matter is that good writers could lose their jobs.
Destructoid and 1UP have come to blows a little in the past, but we're all essentially on the same side, with the same passion for gaming and writing. Nobody should get stung doing what they love, so we hope the damage isn't too great over there. They broke the news about Darth Vader being in Soul Calibur IV, and that's enough to earn them a pint each from me.
Man, some things you just do not see coming.
winston churchill: old and busted.
picard facepalm: new hotness.
"Man, some things you just do not see coming."
Ha, if you didn't see this coming then you really have no clue what's going on. That was pretty funny to read.
Usen'ye, gar di'kutla trekkise chakaar!
That sucks, I used to be all over 1up until I found Destructoid. I hope they can keep it going.
never a good thing to hear that games related company's are in trouble. best of luck to them.
I'M WORLD FAMOUS. I'M WORLD FAMOUS. I'M WORLD FAMOUS. I'M WORLD FAMOUS. I'M WORLD FAMOUS. I'M WORLD FAMOUS. I'M WORLD FAMOUS. I'M WORLD FAMOUS. I'M WORLD FAMOUS. I'M WORLD FAMOUS.I'M WORLD FAMOUS. I'M WORLD FAMOUS.
Fuck you, you egotistical prick.
Summa sighting! But he... has a point?
This is just... too much.
/wrists
haha, that was pretty funny Cheeburga.
whoa, I fuckin' love the GFW guys. I used to be huge into 1up until I discovered dtoid.
That's too bad. Hopefully no one looses their job.
The saddest thing has been the decline of EGM -- both in content and quality.
I'll be looking forward to an email telling me to get the fuck off the site an-
Oh wait.
Thankfully EG has been filling the aching void with hard-hitting journalism like "Douchebags: Do They All Play Wii?"
I don't want to live in a world where Summa returns and yet Nex is still lost to us, off on his bounty hunting mission to Ceti Alpha Prime IV to bring back the hide of the elusive gnorknyak wolf. WHY, GOD, WHY?
@ Sharpless
They both suck.
Actually no, I didn't see this coming because typically, I don't make the affairs of other Web sites my business unless it's superhuge (I wish others were like that). So yeah, this came as a surprise to me.
I don't think anyone didn't see it coming, print media is and has been on it's way out for a while
The best podcasts in the business, hopefully something happens and these cats still have jobs.
Well...this sucks...best of luck to them
Actually no, I didn't see this coming because typically, I don't make the affairs of other Web sites my business unless it's superhuge (I wish others were like that). So yeah, this came as a surprise to me.
Wow, that came out of nowhere. $400 million dollars? How the hell does that happen with huge subscription based services like that?
There's some serious mis-spending going on.
Old ghosts need to get the hell out of the house.
ahem.
That sucks. We are in mourning.
This came to a surprise to me. Then again, I haven't really been paying attention to anything Ziff Davis, so shame on me.
Actually, I remember when I saw OPM's last issue on news stands. I checked to see what demos they included for their final issue, and wow was it pretty lackluster. Sure, they probably got teh shut down after the demos were finalized, but it's still a pretty underwhelming way to go out.
Last I checked, there wasn't a "help wanted" sign around here....
I'm in mourning that we only had a few precious minutes to take potshots at Summa. He should stop by more often.
Summa, EGM has always been the best American-based game magazine out there in terms of quality. No other magazine has come close.
Fuck off Summa
EGM is the best magazine out there, and its too bad that this happened to Ziff Davis
Ziff is one of the coolest names imaginable ever.
When Summa shows up it's like your drunk ex stopping by for a booty call. It's equal parts awkward and sexy but 100% wrong.
Wow.... just wow... (on many counts)
This is why you don't overdo leverage in a business...
Maybe if they handled business like CNet/Gamespot...
Id file Chapter 11 too if I had to fly James "Milky" Mielke to Japan every other month. Dude is over there often is all Im saying.
Who the fuck is Summa?
@CaffeinePowered: Good thing our nation's homeowners aren't overleveraged*!
*shit.
This is a sad day indeed. I read EGM throughout the 16, 32/64 and 128 bit eras. I also was a fan of 1up before I found destructoid.
@Cheeburga
NEX IS A SAINT. NEX IS A SAINT.
"Who the fuck is Summa?"
Thats the spirit.
1up is my favorite "mainstream" gaming website. Game Informer is my favorite magazine, however. I'm gonna miss 1up.
It's surprising that a video game magazine's publisher has had to file for bankruptcy a full 8-9 years into the internet age? Really? From someone who writes for a video game blogm the very thing that has killed the video game magazine?
How the hell does that happen with huge subscription based services like that?
I get EGM for free. I get nearly every magazine subscription for free. Only ones payed for in my household are Sports Illustrated and The New Yorker.
you know what's funny? Ever since I moved EGM has been coming to my house by the doubles. You know what else is funny? I haven't paid for a subscription ever in the last 5 years. It's my fault guys, I'm sorry :(.
"It's surprising that a video game magazine's publisher has had to file for bankruptcy a full 8-9 years into the internet age? Really? From someone who writes for a video game blogm the very thing that has killed the video game magazine? "
Spot on.
Also, I didn't say EGM sucked, I said they have declined in content (# of pages) and quality (sorry, but if you're a long-time reader, this is true). It will be sad to see EGM go (if they do indeed fold the publication), it was always my favorite.
No seriously, who the fuck is Summa and why does he have an icon of a dude putting on lipstick? So confused.
"Ha, if you didn't see this coming then you really have no clue what's going on. That was pretty funny to read."
There's that Summa smarm we've all been missing these months.
Seriously Rob, do you think you've got some super secret inside source that leaks everything to you months or years before everything else or do you just purposely amend all your comments with claptrap like "I have inside infos you can nevar see!"
Yeah, writing's on the wall, yada yada yada, every publisher's having a tough time with print. We know this, but to see a big one fall is a pretty big surprise nonetheless.
I apologize in advance for not having an insider view on things, as apparently you've told me in the past that having such privilege makes you a deity amongst the unwashed masses.
Because you have insider info on video games.
Whose Summa?
Also, I like EGM, they were my replacement when VideoGames went under. :/
They have declined in recent years though...
Sadie, you don't want to know.
Also, no...
Losing Next Generation was the worst.
The original incarnation of Next Gen was to me, the pinnacle of gaming magazines.
Also, other than to try get people to Google who the hell you are and why we don't like you, WHY ARE YOU HERE SUMMA?
Like D said, you're like the dumped ex who shows up at a party that you're not invited to and act like everything's swell. You burned lots of bridges with this community (and I am not speaking on behalf of the editors at all in that regard) and no back room, secret, "you don't know the whole story" line will EVER redeem yourself to the regulars who knew you here.
Go away.
Oh, I remember now. LOL, man.....
That was around the time I was a lurker....
must be close to the time you left or something..having withdrawals I take it?
Summa left and went to Epileptic Gaming, didn't he? The same place that brought you this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXb_3Kbb8yw
Yep, them peoples know what quality and integrity are, all right.
Anyway... as long as 1up is okay, then I'm fine. GFW Radio (97.5: The Brodeo) and Retronauts are my two favorite podcasts on the Internet. As long as I get to hear T-Frog, Sharkey, and Kohler on Retronauts and Black Dragon, Sean Milloy, the Quiet Man, and Shawn "God" Elliot, I'm good. The Milkman's cool, too.
Although aside from them, 1up is awfully full of tech/graphics whores who demand gratuitous sex, violence, and profanity in their games, and generally hate Nintendo (that seems to be an industry norm, though).
gfw magazine is great, and i love gfw radio and 1upYours. hope everything just.. you know... "resolves"
@novakaine, thanks for the heads up.
I hope EGM is ok. Otherwise, I'll have nothing to read on the can.
That's no slight against the magazine. Only the finest reading materials reside by my shitter.
This is almost as painful than when I heard Tower records was closing. Ziff will rise from the ashes I'm sure. You can't stop good writing.
This is almost as painful than when I heard Tower records was closing. Ziff will rise from the ashes I'm sure. You can't stop good writing.
:(
Why is Summa such a troll?
HOLY FUCK!!!
I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH SUMMA!!!
THE FABRIC OF TIME AND SPACE IS BEING TORN ASUNDER!!
The sad thing is that I don't think Summa's even trying to troll--it's just how he naturally is.
=\
@novakaine
It is. I've spoken with him in private emails. It's gotta suck on those nights when he's all alone by himself with no one to hear him sputter on about how awesome he is.
I'm also surprised by the news...
while i'm well aware that the net is cannibalizing print in general, I thought that both mediums could survive and even thrive together for quite some time...
it's odd that the printing press, one of the greatest inventions in human history is now completely obsolete thanks to the digital age. natural selection, i suppose ;)
@novakaine
I fucking hate you for showing me that video. I felt my I.Q. drop 20 points.
I can verify that Summa did have a little inside info on this because I was standing with him long ago when it was discussed. Ziff has been trying to sell 1up for over a year now.
*shrug* I didn't see it coming. I only heard this bit. That's my job on the line I guess.
I think summa has a good point, the papers day have been gone a long time ago, and this isn't a big suprise... actually, you can almost smell the conspiracy "Summa makes up for old time by write a line on DTOID again"
Wish I could take credit for this.
@novakaine
I hate anyone who sells gamecubes for 250$ in the year 2008. Nintendo betrayed their fanbase, that's what the hate is for.
Shitty magazines and shitty website, not shocking at all, I am shocked it took this long.
@camtub
18 or younger, fucking classic
@Kryptinite: I wish I had seen your comment earlier.
well that sucks, I wonder whats happening to them thats making them loose so many millions.. Thought Bush's tax cut helped giant corporations.
Wow and Summa pops back like a bad std on my penez,
woops, talked to much...
Who the fuck is Robert Summa?.... regular troll, less common maybe "world famous" fuck face?...or both?
AM, like I told Sadie, you really don't want know.
Protip: It's not the real summa.
Summa...alive? Impossible!!
....this is so fucked up.
I listen to the 1Up network podcasts every week and subscribe to EGM. They grew on me.
If they go out, where am I going to get my Shawn Elliot fix?
Man, what's with all the Summa hate? Surely had it been another name it would of been ignored by 99% of the community.
Who the fuck is Robert "World Famous" Summa, and can I trust him with my nieces?
@geoff
that's correct
@maxvest
that picture is exactly what I was thinking in my mind
Who the fuck is Robert "World Famous" Summa, and can I trust him with my nieces?
Wow, Robert Summa posting to Destructoid again is almost as awesome as that time Jack Thompson posted to Destructoid. You guys remember how awesome that was?!
WHY GOD?!!! PLEASE TAKE GAMEINFORMER INSTEAD!!!!!!!!!
also, what D said
Also, I nominate Kyousuke Nanbu as the biggest negative Nancy in the world.
When are you not hateful or bitter about anything?
AMIRTIE? Who doesn't agree with me?
lol@ Negative Nancy
Robert Summa wears lipstick while eating broccoli pizza?
@vexed alex
I agree completely
Something tells me this is not the real Summa.
Thats too much money... Maybe starbucks coffee bills.
"Nobody should get stung doing what they love, so we hope the damage isn't too great over there"