Nintendo: ‘Nintendo Power’ No Longer The Best Way To Reach Nintendo Fans

[wraggster]

The latest person to dismiss the relevance of print publications for gamers is none other than Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, who recently gave his thoughts on the fate of Nintendo Power.
***
If you’re looking for a reason why Nintendo relinquished control of the long-loved Nintendo Power magazine a little over a year ago, you can get no one better to talk about it than Nintendo’s president, Satoru Iwata.
The simple explanation? Print isn’t Nintendo’s best way to reach their fans.
Here’s Iwata during that earnings presentation from late last month that we’ve been pulling quotes from:
As for Nintendo Power magazine, it has contributed greatly so far in selling NES and SNES, which Nintendo had to start from scratch in the U.S.
Back then, publishing and distributing a monthly magazine was the most practical way to connect consumers and manufacturers. Now we have a much higher frequency of connecting with consumers online than traditional print publications. Online also has an advantage with lower cost and speed. As so many media are shifting from print to online, we also wanted to shift how we primarily connect with our consumers, and going from our paper publication, Nintendo Power, to online as the center of our message delivery efforts to our consumers. Part of the team that moved to New York included Nintendo’s web content team, and they are working with an increased number of staff.
Nintendo Power still exists. It’s published by Future US, Inc. But now you know why Nitendo isn’t as into it, despite its 20-year legacy.

http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2009/02/09/nintendo-nintendo-power-no-longer-the-best-way-to-reach-nintendo-fans/

[Auriman1]

I finally let my subscription die just this month, despite receiving the magazine every month without interruptions since the late 90's, and having miscellaneous issues from before I had a subscription.

It's true, they've lost much of their influence. It doesn't help that the only free gifts you can get with your subscription nowadays are strategy guides. I liked the time when you could get game soundtracks, t-shirts, full version games (ex: LoZ: Collector's Edition), and the like with every yearly subscription; my money to them was guaranteed with such incentive.

[wraggster]

to be fair i havent brought a games mag for years, then again who needs to in these days of internet and up to the minute newsposting

[juiceface]

internet killed game magazines

that being said i had nintendo power from the early 1990's to around 1998.

[goshogun1]

That kind of sucks. NP was one of my favorite mags back in the day. I loved all those maps, and pages full of game-art. I love the net and all, but I can't read it on the can or wherever else. Also, there is something nice about holding a mag in your hands, and flipping through it.

[rancor01]

I hate to see print die.. Its just not the same reading a screen as actually holding something physical in your hands.. With that being said, I think gaming mags have been on a downward trajectory for the last 10 years. I used to be a rabid EGM and NP fan, but it seems that in the last few years theyre filled with late/irrelevant news and ads.. I still subscribe to Retro Gamer though.. at more than $100 USD a year for a subscription, it had better be quality. The back issues are worth serious cash on Ebay too.. So its an investment as well!

[crookedmouth]

I hate to see print die.. Its just not the same reading a screen as actually holding something physical in your hands.. With that being said, I think gaming mags have been on a downward trajectory for the last 10 years. I used to be a rabid EGM and NP fan, but it seems that in the last few years theyre filled with late/irrelevant news and ads.. I still subscribe to Retro Gamer though.. at more than $100 USD a year for a subscription, it had better be quality. The back issues are worth serious cash on Ebay too.. So its an investment as well!

I agree, it is sad and I agree about Retro Gamer too. Nice mag. I think many of the UK mags are quality. Games(TM) and Edge seem to be much more substantive. Other magazine companies should use UK mags as an example.

[DanTheManMS]

I had Nintendo Power for a while, let it die out a couple of years ago. Shame I can't find the SMRPG player's guide that I got when I first started subscribing.

Oh well, I've got the very first issue of NP back in my room somewhere, and it's fun to read through it now and again.