Thoughts on Game Informer magazine?

[maverick-99]

I'm a Nintendo guy. I have a Wii. I'm well aware that with cross-platform games, the graphics will almost certainly be better on Xbox (or PS3).

Ok, that said, here's my story. I was making a (Wii game) purchase at GameStop the other day. They dude working is trying to push a subscription to Game Informer on me. I told him I read the magazine and visited their website a couple times, and honestly they came across as sort of anti-Nintendo, in a snooty/snarky kind of way, and that turned me off to the magazine.

I don't know if he has friends that work there (the magazine is based out of Minneapolis), but he immediately became defensive and started acting kind of weird. He told me "Nintendo doesn't come out with that many games."

I was like "Really? because I get Nintendo Power and they feature/preview literally hundreds of games every issue."

He comes back with "Well, they don't come out with that many good games."

To which I reply "Did you really just say that to someone who has only ever purchased a Wii game in here?"

He starts getting red in the face and says "Well, it's hard for them to compare the Nintendo version when the Xbox or Playstation versions are so much better."

I took a breath and said "I'm not looking for a comparison of what the game is like on other systems. I know the graphic on Xbox are better. I know the controls on Playstation feel different. I just want to know if the game is fun, and if so, why. If not, why?"

To which he says nothing and rings me up.

So there you have the long-winded build up to my simple question: Do you get the impression that Game Informer magazine does not give proper coverage (or respect) to Nintendo games?

[Ultimate Lurker]

So there you have the long-winded build up to my simple question: Do you get the impression that Game Informer magazine does not give proper coverage (or respect) to Nintendo games?

It's true. Because Nintendo doesn't release many good games for the Wii very often.

Nintendo Power has the advantage of DS games, but I still doubt they feature "hundreds".

Game Informer probably also features Xbox stuff the most because that's what they sell the most of.

[Hochler]

Magazines like Game Informer cater to the hardcore gamer, and the Wii has very little hardcore games when compared to the Xbox 360 and PS3. It's understandable.

[evophile]

It's true. Because Nintendo doesn't release many good games for the Wii very often.



Yes, You can't give coverage to what doesn't exist.

And hey, don't get me wrong, I have a Wii (and a 360, PS3); I just wish I had a reason to turn it on more often.

So it's going to seem that Game Informer's hardly covers Wii, because are they going to do a spread on Imagine: Babies or Uncharted 2?

As a Gamestop employee he probably shouldn't get into fanboy system bashing though.

[Kedd]

I honestly didn't know game informer was still being published

[Marcdachamp]

Yeah, it's why I stopped buying GI. Even multi-platform games they seem to focus less on the Wii versions of.

Personally, I really like where Nintendo Power has been going in the last few years. The community section has really been a great addition, and I really loved the article they had on "I am 8-Bit" a few years back. Really informative, and the choices they published were really breath-taking. I wish they'd do it yearly.

[Cth]

I have a free subscription, but as others said, it caters more to the non-casual gamer market.

And with the slew of 3rd party shovelware the Wii gets, it unfortunately lumps most of the games with that. The perception by many as a result is that most of the games are also garbage.

Every console has it happen. Xbox was the "shooter" console, even though statistics show otherwise.

Nintendo Power has it covered, just like Official Xbox and Official PS have theirs covered. So, I don't see why anyone is looking for a different magazine for that type of coverage when it already exists.

Likely, the decision was arrived at through feedback. If their readers/website visitors/etc send feedback saying they want more 360/PS3 coverage, they listen or perish, especially in the days of online media.

If they increase Wii coverage by 25% something has to go, and since the two groups are seemingly opposite do they risk losing the larger audience by including something that's already covered better elsewhere?

[JasonD]

I agree that it is dumb to insult the platform, that's just bad buisness. Though I've known some really cool Gamestop employees, a lot of them are either young kids who haven't mastered customer relations or are burnt out cynics.

But I can't fault Game Informer's coverage of Wii games. The magazine may have it's faults, but clearly it's aimed at more hardcore gamer types then the more casual-friendly Wii. I think when you do get a big Zelda or Metroid or Mario game, they do usually give it a pretty thoughtful review that usually is positive, but when it comes to the rather large pool of third party games (often many are nothing but another collection of mini-games) it might not have the coverage you want.

[BGPu]

They like to bash the Wii and deservedly so, but so does EGM. EGM is just nicer about it.

I started getting it a few months ago when I traded some games in. It's a decent counter to EGM, especially since EGM seems to be shrinking/on the verge of ceasing publication. From a design point of view, I wouldn't mind if they increased the font size for some parts of the magazine to something bigger than 4 pt.

[Brad N.]

The Gamestop employee was WAY out of line but I disagree with your take on Game Informer. I honestly believe they are hands down the best all around magazine covering games I've ever read and in a dying medium they seem to do all right. They're fair and I find myself agreeing more often than not when it comes to reviews, etc.

While the Gamestop employee was out of line I think he had a point in there somewhere. The Wii has a couple great games, a few good games, a lot of mediocre games, and a TON of "Holy shit, how the hell did THAT get published?" games. The readers are mostly experienced and hardcore gamers and I'd imagine their circulation would drop quickly if they took away coverage from great next gen games to devote more coverage to Cooking Mama 4 (or whatever the fuck). To me that would be like asking Wizard to devote less coverage to Marvel and DC in favor of more Manga pages.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a Wii basher. Everyone I know has one and even though I LOVE my 360 I'll probably buy the kids a Wii with our tax returns. Nintendo Power has it covered, and whenever Nintendo does put out something truly excellent G.I. does cover it.

[Marcdachamp]

The Gamestop employee was WAY out of line but I disagree with your take on Game Informer. I honestly believe they are hands down the best all around magazine covering games I've ever read and in a dying medium they seem to do all right. They're fair and I find myself agreeing more often than not when it comes to reviews, etc.

While the Gamestop employee was out of line I think he had a point in there somewhere. The Wii has a couple great games, a few good games, a lot of mediocre games, and a TON of "Holy shit, how the hell did THAT get published?" games. The readers are mostly experienced and hardcore gamers and I'd imagine their circulation would drop quickly if they took away coverage from great next gen games to devote more coverage to Cooking Mama 4 (or whatever the fuck). To me that would be like asking Wizard to devote less coverage to Marvel and DC in favor of more Manga pages.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a Wii basher. Everyone I know has one and even though I LOVE my 360 I'll probably buy the kids a Wii with our tax returns. Nintendo Power has it covered, and whenever Nintendo does put out something truly excellent G.I. does cover it.

I rarely read either anymore, but EGM was much better, in my opinion.

[19bernardo87]

I honestly think Game Informer is the best out there.

[Brad N.]

I rarely read either anymore, but EGM was much better, in my opinion.

I have free subscriptions for both and while EGM was stellar back in the day it's fucking unreadable now and I'm thankful I don't have to pay for it. EGM looks like they have attempted to make the layout of each page look like a cluttered website. I don't hate it but it's been ages since I've talked to anyone who preferred EGM over Game Informer.

[TheKraken]

Snitches get stitches!

[Humphrey_Lee]

Yeah, honestly, when half the titles you produce are just shoveware, why would you expect equal coverage? Not that every game out for the 360 or PS3 is a gem, but at least most of them try to be interesting, even if they fall well short. I like Game Informer. I think their Previews are very in depth and they choose quality games to highlight - I think they spend more times on the previews of "on the cusp" franchises or things that could be special like Uncharted 2 and InFamous more than just God of War or Gears, etc - but I do tend to have issues with their reviews. I'd say about 90% of the time they're pretty spot on, but they do tend to fall into the hype machine and give games they're expected to high scores to appease their fans and the publishers of said title. When they gave Assassin's Creed last year like, a 9.5 I think I went all hell's no. When GTA4 got a perfect 10 earlier this year, then I was a little more than annoyed. I think towards the X-Mas season this year though, they leveled out better. Overall though, I think it's probably the best gaming magazine publication out there.

[Marcdachamp]

Yeah, honestly, when half the titles you produce are just shoveware, why would you expect equal coverage? Not that every game out for the 360 or PS3 is a gem, but at least most of them try to be interesting, even if they fall well short. I like Game Informer. I think their Previews are very in depth and they choose quality games to highlight - I think they spend more times on the previews of "on the cusp" franchises or things that could be special like Uncharted 2 and InFamous more than just God of War or Gears, etc - but I do tend to have issues with their reviews. I'd say about 90% of the time they're pretty spot on, but they do tend to fall into the hype machine and give games they're expected to high scores to appease their fans and the publishers of said title. When they gave Assassin's Creed last year like, a 9.5 I think I went all hell's no. When GTA4 got a perfect 10 earlier this year, then I was a little more than annoyed. I think towards the X-Mas season this year though, they leveled out better. Overall though, I think it's probably the best gaming magazine publication out there.

Yeah, their reviews are hit and miss. I've seen some reviews from GI that made my jaw drop. I still think IGN is the best in that regard.

[Fygar]

I have free subscriptions for both and while EGM was stellar back in the day it's fucking unreadable now and I'm thankful I don't have to pay for it. EGM looks like they have attempted to make the layout of each page look like a cluttered website. I don't hate it but it's been ages since I've talked to anyone who preferred EGM over Game Informer.

Wow really? I can barely stomach Game Informer, but feel like the last three years of EGM have been the best it's ever been (especially since James Mielke took over at EIC) and I've been a subscriber for well over ten years.

I just don't like how GI is connected with Gamestop. That doesn't seem right to me. I'm not saying Gamestop influences them in anyway, but it does bother me a bit (and yes I'd feel this way if EGM did a cross promotion with GS). And with an industry that saw the Jeff Gerstman scandal just last year I'm wary of a lot more.

As far as GI and Wii coverage goes...ehh it's to be expected. GI and EGM are enthusiast press, they have to cater to their audience to survive. The employee you dealt with was a douche though.

With that said the few issues of GI that I have read

[costello]

It's hard for me, as someone who's grown up with video games, to understand and appreciate the Wii. I've had it since June and only have Wii Sports, Wii Play, and Boom Blox. It feels geared towards a different type of gamer. I think my tastes are reflected more in Game Informer than the Wii fan. The magazine is just looking for something different than you are.

I have a Wii and PS3 so the magazine suits me just fine. Plus I like their Wii reviews.

[Humphrey_Lee]

Wow really? I can barely stomach Game Informer, but feel like the last three years of EGM have been the best it's ever been (especially since James Mielke took over at EIC) and I've been a subscriber for well over ten years.



Honestly, I haven't paged through EGM in about a year, but towards the end of college and right when I moved up here to the city, I had an actual "free" subscription, because I used to pay for it but then converted over to PSM, and they kept sending me issues to lure me back, and I told them not to even bother because I honestly thought it was a waste of paper. You want a magazine that was playing favorites? I was pretty much floored by how much they went out of their way to suck Nintendo's cock, especially their staple games. And overall I thought their coverage was bland and just didn't give enough spotlight to those games that deserved it. Obviously it could have gotten better, but then I didn't even think it was worth look over for free.

[db8coach]

I don't mind Game Informer...The way I look at it is that I get 10% off used games and a free magazine...or vice versa...you cant beat that...As far as the employee goes, don't listen to him. Most of those guys still live in their mothers house. The Gamestops around here have concentrated on having at least one female employee in their stores at all times because they are better at customer relations.