Although I didn’t realise it before the news broke, the closure of the most-grown-up-yet-most-childish gaming magazine has been inevitable for a while. With PC gamers tending to be web-savvy, sales of PC Zone have fallen dramatically in the last few years and the time has come that it is no longer profitable.
It may sound strange to be saddened by the closure of a PC games magazine, however PC Zone is one with a fan base who read the magazine for its wit and quality of writing as much as the games news.
The formula of brutally harsh reviews where other magazines were too gutless, excellent engagement with readers (more recently in the form of online gaming ‘Fight Clubs’), wonderfully inventive features and dark humour ensured it has been a cover-to-cover read of mine for about 12 years.
To put the ballsy humour into perspective, this is the magazine that helped launch the career of Charlie Brooker, whose comic strip Cruelty Zoo got it pulled off the shelves of W H Smith.
Other memories that spring to mind when reminiscing on the 17-year history of the magazine are the test in which staff played games whilst becoming increasingly drunk to see how it affected their performance, and the magazine carelessly failing to warn buyers that the cover disc was filled with super-gory demos before being slapped with an 18 rating and joking about it.
September’s issue will be the last; however mourning subscribers will be praying for an online edition of some kind. Stiff upper lip and all that – maybe this is the shock I need to get with times.
27 July 2010
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