CVG to Close | Edge Online Goes Aswell

[Skippy]

Personal opinion is that Edge should pursue a paid model for their website that offers the full back catalogue of reviews and articles through the years via the site. I've got something like 200 issues and even though they take up a ton of space I still thumb through the odd issue now and again. I can't help but think that by offering so much of their site content (that also gets into the magazine) for free, they've kind of devalued themselves.

That's a good idea actually, maybe a full digital back catalogue for tablets as well. If they published everything in the magazine on the site at the same yime and upped their news content online I think a lot of people would pay up

[KK]

Future have a lot of heritage stuff they haven't done anything with. Almost 20 years of content from the Official PlayStation Magazine alone. They should have the most definitive PlayStation website in the world right now. Same goes for PC Gamer.

There's been a lot of wasted potential, lack of investment in the right things, & they've been extremely slow in embracing digital. Nobody was more better placed to make a videogames website(s) than Future.

[Tafdolphin]

Digital back issues of PC Gamer would be amazing

[KK]

Future has posted a loss for the first half of 2014, and has says it plans to reduce its headcount by 170 in the UK.

It follows the news that it has sold its sport and craft titles - including its cycling magazines - to Immediate Media in a £24m [deal?].





The firm's UK revenues were actually up over the first half of 2013 by two per cent to £41.5m, which represents 85 per cent of the entire Group's revenue. But US revenue fell 14 per cent to £7.3m.

The company's entertainment department - which includes games and film - generated £7.2m, a drop from the £8.5m it made last year. However, it's important to point out that there were more game launches in the first half of 2013 compared with 2014.

That means - along with exceptional items and finance costs – the business reported a £30.6m pre-tax loss, compared with 0.3m pre-tax loss.

As revealed by MCV, Future is also proposing to close CVG, Edge Online and the websites for Official PlayStation, Official Xbox and Official Nintendo. It's also planning to move all games titles to its Bath office.

"Clearly, Future's print revenues have continued to decline, but our consumers are highly-engaged and new revenue streams are available," said Zillah Byng-Maddick, CEO of Future.

"Our revised business model is based on the virtuous circle of engagement in two core content areas: reviews (when consumers are looking to make product purchase decisions and where we can derive ecommerce revenues) and 'how to' opportunities (when consumers want to learn more and are prepared to pay us to help them do so, through tutorials, events etc). These were the foundations of Future's initial success in the 1980s, and they will remain at the core of our strategic focus through the next phase of transformation.

"The streamlining of our consumer strategy - with an increased focus on the consumer technology market and a clear channel-neutral approach - allows for a simplification and standardisation of our digital advertising platforms and opportunities. Where appropriate we will also look to rationalise brand activity online in areas where consumers are less interested in our brands but discover and value our content that reaches them through the strength of our search engine optimisation.

"The transformation programme has already begun, with the disposal of our Sport and Craft titles. In addition a consultation process began in mid-May, involving all staff, a reflection of the extent to which all areas of the business are affected by the evolving working practices.The proposals reflect a functional approach to re-organising the business: with all our content and marketing staff grouped under one director, focused on creating industry-leading content that connects with our consumers. Likewise, we are grouping all commercial and consumer revenue activity under respective directors. I propose to transform our current IT division into a focused digital Product and Technology division, creating standardised platforms for all our digital offerings. I have also re-organised and strengthened my leadership team to reflect this new functional approach."

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/future-p ... es/0133128

How very grim.

[Venom]

170 job losses? Come the closure of the gaming websites and we'll see a bloodbath. I feel bad for everyone -even the hacks.

[NickSCFC]

http://www.polygon.com/2014/5/29/576284 ... r-50m-loss

British magazine publisher Future today declared a £30.6 million ($50.4M) loss for the first half of this year. The company announced 170 job losses and a deal to sell off some of its titles.

The company behind titles like Edge, PC Gamer and GamesMaster plans to shut down some of its games websites including CVG and Edge Online, according to UK trade site MCV. All its games operations currently operating in London will be relocated to lower cost headquarters in Bath, England.

Future's year-on-year UK revenues increased slightly for the period ended March 31, 2014, by two per cent to £41.5 million ($69.3M), but revenue for its San Francisco-based U.S. division fell 14 per cent to £7.3 million ($12.2M).

Some of the job losses are from games titles although the magazines being sold off are all in the cycling and home crafting markets. The £24 million ($40M) raised from the sale will be used to fund restructuring and pay off debts, according to CEO Zillah Byng-Maddick.

"Since my appointment on April 1 we have carried out a root and branch review of the organisation, to revisit basic principles and identify where Future derives its intrinsic value, who its principal revenue stakeholders are, and the structure required to more effectively serve those stakeholders," she said in a financial statement. "As part of that strategic review we have decided to focus on the company's core activities, above all around the consumer technology audience."

[degoose]

strawberry floating sucks, i like CVG and their podcast. I feel sorry for the guys there , hopefully they will all find jobs.

[NickSCFC]

I've been using CVG's site since around 1999 when I first got onto the net, first time I ever saw PS2 was on CVG.co.uk.

Sounds like the UK's longest running games publication is finally at an end

Meanwhile, GamesRadar lives on

[KK]

One of the saddest things when videogames magazines die though is they rarely get the send off they actually deserve. Nintendo Gamer was probably the best one given the lack of time allocated to them. Fair enough kill it off, but why not then allow 2 months, or at least a full month, to put something properly good together? It's like as soon as they decide they're scrapping it they literally can't wait to close the bloody thing. PC Zone was another one.

PC Gamer when it dies should seriously be a book.

[NickSCFC]

Most tend to go into serious decline before they're killed off though, I remember CVG having a big redesign in 1999 with half the staff (including Ed Lomas) leaving and it just wasn't the same again. Also coincided with me subscribing to ODM for the monthly demos.

I'd like to see EDGE, GamesMaster, GamesTM, OPM, OXM, ONM, PC Gamer and Retro Gamer stick around...

the rest like Play and One won't be missed and I'm sure they're already on their last legs.

[KK]

A lot of the single format magazines of the past would die when they'd been redesigned for a younger audience in the dying days of the system, therefore leaving the lapsed or long time readers wanting a proper retrospective rather disappointed.

[Christopher]

Nintendo Gamer was one of the few that actually got better before it's closure.

[NickSCFC]

A lot of the single format magazines of the past would die when they'd been redesigned for a younger audience in the dying days of the system, therefore leaving the lapsed or long time readers wanting a proper retrospective rather disappointed.

Makes sense though, when PS2/PS3 came out, the PS1/PS2 were only really played by kids, I remember at least 50% of PS1 games after 2000 being Disney titles, and the magazines have to reflect this.

Much better now that there's just one official PlayStation and one official Xbox magazine covering all the formats. I still fail to see the point in third party platform exclusive magazines though like Play.

[jawafour]

Every gaming magazine should have a final issue like Amiga Power. Flaming death with the horsemen of the apocalypse riding BMXs. It's the only way.

[Christopher]

I still miss Amiga Power

[Spindash]

[jawafour]

...

"The best ending to anything ever!!! IT CANNOT BE BEATEN!" - Insincere Dave

[NickSCFC]

Digitiser was mental, half of it was cartoons of Mr T ranting about kids going through his bins and some alien finishing every statement with "Mok a mok".

Still, used to visit Digitiser every day in the early-mid 90s, remember first hearing about Dreamcast there.

[SEP]

Digitiser was mental, half of it was cartoons of Mr T ranting about kids going through his bins and some alien finishing every statement with "Mok a mok".

That was a monkey, not an alien! At also had the rapping snakes.

[jawafour]

Eating cereal whilst checking out Digitiser - that's how I started my days for a number of years. Good times :-).