We're sad to report that print gaming media has taken another blow today with the closure of Official Nintendo Magazine in Spain.
Just a couple of months ago, UK publications GamesMaster and GamesTM saw their last issues appear on store shelves, and this latest casualty comes as a result of similar problems. Publishing house Axel Springer has reportedly blamed a sharp fall in sales for the magazine's closure as online media continues to dominate, adding to the financial issues already being experienced by the Spanish division of the company.
The magazine's final issue - number 315 - is set to launch next week, unsurprisingly focusing on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as its main feature. The publication had been going strong for 26 years until this point.
Other countries, such as the UK and Australia, have also had Official Nintendo Magazine publications in the past. As many of our readers will likely remember, the UK edition also closed back in 2014 during a particularly tough time for Nintendo media as a whole.
Naturally, we wish the very best to all those affected by the news.
[source elconfidencial.com, via nintendosoup.com]
Comments 22
I’m honestly surprised these magazines have lasted as long as they have. I love me a nice crisp magazine, but in an age of free and immediate digital news and guides, there’s no way printed gaming media can compete, unfortunately.
@thesilverbrick And yet it's refreshing to read a nice long and well thought out article. And at least magazines don't have to rely on clicks for their revenue (and this isn't a jab at NLife, but moreso a comment on online media in general). As a result I find that the content in printed media can be quite different from digital news.
1. Use of Language
b. Do not post in foreign languages; All posts should be made in English, non-English posts will most likely be removed.
Edit : It just said " oh dear" in Spanish 🤣
and it's all because of websites like this. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves.
joking aside me and my brother used to buy between us the Official Nintendo Magazine, NGC and Cube back in the gamecube days. I used to love picking out a random issue from months or years ago and flick through it again, finding a review of a game I never noticed before to realise it was right up my street. Discovered SSX Tricky that way and ended up being one of my favourite games of all time.
Print has been dead to me for like a decade now or more other than some very specific things.
@Scottwood101 Exactly!! If NL really cared, they’d shut down their site and start a magazine!!!
Obviously this is sarcasm. I love magazines, but the internet is a lot more convenient. As the article already said, best wishes to all affected by the closure of the mag.
I have fond memories of the game magazines of old too, but print media just can't keep up with the pace of websites, the last time i browsed a gaming magazine (A few years ago already), it was all "I read this stuff weeks ago online", while magazines are great as a sort of "What was new back then?" time capsule, as a way to just read news and reviews they're terribly outdated...
Looks like its game over for good...
Who cares?!
It's not a 'sad day', it's long overdue.
Print magazines are an irresponsible relic from the last century, it's about time they die for good.
@shani yes. nuff said
@shani Irresponsible relic? Really?
Anyway, sorry for those who will miss it. Didn't know GamesTM went myself.
There is a solution for this trend of decline somewhere other than transitioning into the internet but it probably won't be utilized by the time these magazines end.
Sad to see the demise, but almost inevitable. Like others, Magazines were SO exciting. I got the Official, CUBE, and occasionaly N64 Pro. A month's worth of news in one go was mind blowing stuff. Does anyone remember the Editor "Dave Churchill" during the official magazine's Nintendo 64 era? And the "Seal" of quality. I loved all that.
It's refreshing reading a book or a magazine sometimes because online articles are often filled with typos and other english mistakes. The lack of quality and care is discouraging.
@thesilverbrick - It's hard to imagine, but I am on the Patreon for Nintebdo Force and to be honest, I do miss those editorials and the like from a magazine. Especially with this day and age of "journalism" from reviewers preferring to talk about why they hate something about the game by relaying it through personal stories. I tapped out of that back in 2014 when I read something about homophobia and why Mario and Luigi are "brothers" by facade. This was for a 3DS game review of Mario and Luigi.
I seem to be the only one who doesn't think these closings are a big loss. Like has been said, there is no way a print magazine can have information that is even remotely up to date these days.
I used to keep gaming mags like a lot of people talk about. But you know what? I never went back to them, and when I moved, they were into recycling.
@Octane Printed media was generally just as bad or worse catering to their advertisers.
This is too bad. But luckily there’s Nintendo Force Magazine! It’s the spiritual successor to Nintendo Power!
http://www.nintendoforcemagazine.com
For like $9 Canadian per month I get a digital and physical issue of each issue!
Highly recommended for those who still enjoy reading physical magazines 😉👍🏻
It's really sad to see this format of entertainment slowly and painfully coming to an end... I used to love getting all sorts of gaming magazines and such in the mail.
@Trajan It depends I guess. But since you are already paying for it, there are a fair share of magazines that are pretty much ad free.
The ultimate issue is about Super Smash Bros Ultimate.
(The pun works better in Spanish, but I do not want to break the rules.)
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