The news that EGM was returning seemed like a nice little “let’s see if this actually happens” kind of wishful thinking. That wish turned into a full-on wet dream for fans of gaming publications as Steve Harris, founder of EGM and the man behind the revitalization of the new EGM magazine, announced the addition of members of Bitmob and Area5 into the EGM core.
Dan Hsu, co-Founder of Bitmob, was once an EGM Editor and 1UP Editorial Director and noted the deal as “a great opportunity to be an important part of the evolution of Electronic Gaming Monthly“. Demian Linn, Hsu’s partner at Bitmob, will also be joining. Both will be “overseeing the reporting and writing of news and other content” (see: press release below) on the EGMNOW print magazine and EGM[i] digital magazine. Bitmob will continue under their guidance as well, and the team of the site will also contribute to the magazine.
Area5, founded by Ryan O’Donnell and Matt Chandronait, is the home of the uber-cool CO-OP video podcast detailing games and gaming culture. O’Donnell and Chandronait were two of the leaders of the 1UP Show team that produced the weekly show. Both, along with their team at Area5, will be contracted to create the video content for EGMNOW and EGM[i]. (again, see: press release below)
What does this all mean to us? It means that suddenly print is not so dead after all — maybe just on life support. Regardless it will be great to begin re-assembling the super team back together after Ziff Davis splintered the popular magazine and 1UP website family earlier this year.
We’d like to send our congratulations over to our friends at Area5 and Bitmob! We’re looking forward to the great content coming our way.
Press releases below.
RYAN O’DONNELL, MATT CHANDRONAIT, AND THE AREA 5 TEAM JOIN EGM
Former Producers of the 1UP Show and Current CO-OP Team Bring Their Experience to the Pages Of Electronic Gaming Monthly and EGM[i]: The Digital Magazine
December 2, 2009 – Beverly Hills, CA , Ryan O’Donnell and Matt Chandronait, founders of Area 5.tv and part of the creative force behind the weekly program CO-OP, have announced that they will provide commentary and production capabilities for the re-launch of Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine and EGM(i): The Digital Magazine.
“Bringing Ryan, Matt, and the Area 5 team on board the new EGM is a huge coup for the magazine and helps us realize our goal of successfully integrating print and digital elements into a single cohesive product,” said Steve Harris, Publisher of the new Electronic Gaming Monthly. “The 1Up Show, fueled by Ryan and Matt’s passion for gaming as well as their excellent video production skills, helped create a new kind of online gaming journalism. With our new digital interface we hope to expand upon this concept with the help of the entire Area 5 group, including Jason Bertrand, Rob Bowen, Jay Frechette, and Cesar Quintero.”
Together the EGM-Area 5 alliance will create new and exclusive content for both the EGM print magazine as well as video programming in the pages of EGM(i): The Digital Magazine. “The new shows being developed will adhere to the high standards of both brands,” Harris continued. “The Area 5 team will also be tasked with supplying exclusive game video, commentary, and edited footage for all facets of the new EGM experience.”
Both Ryan O’Donnell and Matt Chandronait will provide EGM with exclusive on-air commentary and production oversight. Ryan O’Donnell started his career in gaming journalism at GameSpy.com as a member of their video production team before joining IGN’s editorial staff. Later, in 2005, O’Donnell joined Ziff Davis Media where he served as co-founder, director, and lead editor of the popular “1UP Show” for its entire three-and-a-half year run. The conversational criticism he popularized on the 1UP Show lives on in Area 5 Media’s current weekly video game show, CO-OP.
Matt Chandronait has been in the gaming industry for over 14 years, working as a web designer for several video game companies as well as Gamespy.com and IGN until landing at 1UP.com as Producer of the 1UP Show. He subsequently co-founded Area 5 Media with Ryan O’Donnell and has produced dozens of hours of gaming editorial under this new banner.
“Ryan and Matt, along with the rest of the Area 5 team, have quickly built a brand that has become synonymous with quality. They are collectively some of the most talented names in gaming journalism and a real asset to this new venture,” said Harris. “I look forward to the continued growth of Area 5 and welcome their contributions to the EGM brand that they helped shape and strengthen over many years.”
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About Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine: Electronic Gaming Monthly (aka “EGM”) was founded more than 20 years ago by Steve Harris and remains one of the most respected gaming brands of its kind. EGM’s cutting-edge editorial style and hard-hitting content have earned it a reputation for being a trusted and independent voice in the gaming community. EGM Media Group acquired the rights to the publication from Ziff Davis Media and is currently planning to re-launch the magazine in print (Electronic Gaming Monthly), digitally (EGM[i]: The Digital Magazine), and online (EGMNOW.com).
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DAN “SHOE” HSU AND DEMIAN LINN JOIN EGM
Former Editors of EGM and 1UP Return to the Magazine They Guided For Nearly a Decade
December 1, 2009 – Beverly Hills, CA , Dan “Shoe” Hsu and Demian Linn, gaming journalism veterans and founders of the popular gaming commentary website Bitmob.com, have announced that they will bring their editorial skills back to the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine.
“I am thrilled to see Dan and Demian on board the new EGM,” said Steve Harris, Publisher of the new Electronic Gaming Monthly. “Both of these journalists have a keen understanding of the industry they report on, and that exceptional insight is something I know readers will value. Both did a fantastic job of retaining and building upon EGM’s independent voice after I left the magazine, and Dan’s role as editor in particular was instrumental in the publication’s rise to its leading position in the industry.”
Both will continue to operate their successful Bitmob.com website while overseeing the reporting and writing of news and other content for EGM’s network of properties (including EGMNOW and EGM[i]: The Digital Magazine).
Dan Hsu has been covering the gaming industry for over 13 years, starting as Associate Editor of the original EGM, then moving on to Editor-in-Chief of Gamers.com, Editor-in-Chief of EGM, and Editorial Director of the 1UP Network before co-founding Bitmob.com.
Demian Linn’s background as both a reviewer and reporter (in print and video) makes him ideally suited for the integrated platform of the new EGM and EGM[i]: The Digital Magazine. Linn also has 13 years experience in the industry, having written for The Official PlayStation Magazine, Xbox Nation, Detroit Free Press, Complex Magazine, Smart Business, and FHM. Most recently, he was the Reviews Editor at the original EGM and the Executive Producer of GameVideos.com and “The 1UP Show” and is now a co-founder at Bitmob.com.
“This is a great opportunity to be an important part of the evolution of Electronic Gaming Monthly,” Hsu said. “Steve Harris launched EGM with a clear understanding that it would speak to readers in an uncompromising fashion. It is that philosophy that I embraced during my tenure as Editor-In-Chief and one that I will continue to employ going forward in this new position.”
“The integration of publishing formats provides a great opportunity to speak to EGM’s readers in new ways,” explained Linn. “The ability to use technology to take readers deeper into the news and events that shape the gaming industry, using video, audio, and other digital extensions, is a key element that attracted Dan and I to the new EGM , along with a commitment to put the reader first and deliver the same type of insightful information people have come to expect from EGM for more than 20 years.”
Both Hsu and Linn will oversee and contribute to EGM using a staff of industry veterans that includes Greg Ford, Aaron Thomas, Jason Wilson, Michael Donahoe, and Brett Bates , all members of the Bitmob.com team. “Dan and Demian have assembled a terrific staff comprised of some of the best names in gaming journalism,” said Harris. “Their collective efforts for EGM will be complementary to Bitmob.com, which will continue as an important voice for the gaming community. We hope to build upon our relationship with Bitmob and bring even more synergies to our respective endeavors in the future.”
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About Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine: Electronic Gaming Monthly (aka “EGM”) was founded more than 20 years ago by Steve Harris and remains one of the most respected gaming brands of its kind. EGM’s cutting-edge editorial style and hard-hitting content have earned it a reputation for being a trusted and independent voice in the gaming community. EGM Media Group acquired the rights to the publication from Ziff Davis Media and is currently planning to re-launch the magazine in print (Electronic Gaming Monthly), digitally (EGM[i]: The Digital Magazine), and online (EGMNOW.com).
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