The truism “all good things come to an end” came full circle on April 8, 2008 when GFW (Games for Windows), formerly CGW (Computer Gaming World), officially ended its twenty seven year run. CGW printed their first issue in 1981 and since then has become a forerunner in information for all things computer gaming related. Last year in 2007, GFW’s editor Jeff Green announced that the magazine would be making the shift from CGW to GFW in a deal with Microsoft to garner more newsstand presence and increase sales. After eight issues, the deal failed to be anything but a final gasp of air.Ziff Davis Media, owner of the magazine as well as other publications that focus on hobbies and games such as EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly), filed bankruptcy in recent months because of a substantial lingering debt. The decision to file bankruptcy gave Ziff Davis a chance to reorganize their looming financial woes.
All four editors, Jeff Green, Sean Molloy, Shawn Elliott, and Ryan Scott, will fortunately retain positions within the 1UP network. The new job of the former editors of GFW will be to integrate all things PC (personal computer) gaming related to 1UP.com. It is very good news to see that Ziff Davis has decided to keep these four great writers on staff. In the past three years, GFW has gained a popular cult like following due to their weekly podcast they produce. Since their introduction, “the Brodeo” as it is often playfully referred to, has grown from a thirty minute podcast of unorganized awkwardness to a full length two hour production of hilarious banter, gaming advice, and real world cynicism.I am very disappointed to see the print side of GFW go.
I plan on going out to pick up their final issue, which features Sims 3 on the cover, in an attempt to pay homage to an outstanding group of guys whose podcast I have anxiously downloaded every Wednesday for the past two years. The question still remains, in such a fast paced world where computer interaction is now essential to existence, not just pleasure, is the print side of media on its way out the door? I tend to think not. However, PC gaming has had its ups and downs in the past couple of years with piracy and the ever changing difficulty of maintaining up to date hardware has definitely decreased the popularity of the genre so one could assume its consumer base has fallen. Either way, GFW will live on, hopefully in a stronger and more interesting medium. RIP (rest in peace) GFW (CGW); catch you on the flip side.
The truism “all good things come to an end” came full circle on April 8, 2008 when GFW (Games for Windows), formerly CGW (Computer Gaming World), officially ended its twenty seven year run. CGW printed their first issue in 1981 and since then has become a forerunner in information for all things computer gaming related. Last year in 2007, GFW’s editor Jeff Green announced that the magazine would be making the shift from CGW to GFW in a deal with Microsoft to garner more newsstand presence and increase sales. After eight issues, the deal failed to be anything but a final gasp of air.Ziff Davis Media, owner of the magazine as well as other publications that focus on hobbies and games such as EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly), filed bankruptcy in recent months because of a substantial lingering debt. The decision to file bankruptcy gave Ziff Davis a chance to reorganize their looming financial woes.
All four editors, Jeff Green, Sean Molloy, Shawn Elliott, and Ryan Scott, will fortunately retain positions within the 1UP network. The new job of the former editors of GFW will be to integrate all things PC (personal computer) gaming related to 1UP.com. It is very good news to see that Ziff Davis has decided to keep these four great writers on staff. In the past three years, GFW has gained a popular cult like following due to their weekly podcast they produce. Since their introduction, “the Brodeo” as it is often playfully referred to, has grown from a thirty minute podcast of unorganized awkwardness to a full length two hour production of hilarious banter, gaming advice, and real world cynicism.I am very disappointed to see the print side of GFW go.
I plan on going out to pick up their final issue, which features Sims 3 on the cover, in an attempt to pay homage to an outstanding group of guys whose podcast I have anxiously downloaded every Wednesday for the past two years. The question still remains, in such a fast paced world where computer interaction is now essential to existence, not just pleasure, is the print side of media on its way out the door? I tend to think not. However, PC gaming has had its ups and downs in the past couple of years with piracy and the ever changing difficulty of maintaining up to date hardware has definitely decreased the popularity of the genre so one could assume its consumer base has fallen. Either way, GFW will live on, hopefully in a stronger and more interesting medium. RIP (rest in peace) GFW (CGW); catch you on the flip side.
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