Electronic Gaming Monthly
Sendai Publications launched Electronic Gaming Monthly in 1988 as the U.S. National Video Game Team's flagship magazine. The first issue arrived on newsstands with a focus strictly on console hardware and software, ignoring personal computers entirely until January 2009. This narrow scope defined the publication for its first decade of existence. Eighty-three issues followed before the company changed hands from Sendai to Ziff Davis in June 1996. That transition marked a turning point where the magazine began to expand its reach beyond its original constraints. The early years established a reputation for covering the most popular gaming systems of the late eighties and nineties.
Martin Alessi served as one of the founding editors who shaped the magazine's initial voice during the late eighties. Ken Williams wrote under the pseudonym Sushi-X while contributing to the staff that grew over time. Jim Allee and Andrew Baran became known figures among readers who followed the monthly releases. The editorial team expanded from a core group of four reviewers into a larger pool of writers by the year 2000. Todd Rogers and Mike Weigand joined the ranks alongside other contributors like Mark LeFebvre. These individuals built a culture where humor often mixed with serious critique. The magazine also featured artist Jeremy Norm Scott whose illustrations appeared throughout various issues. Writers such as Ed Semrad and Joe Funk eventually took on editor-in-chief roles to steer the publication through changing times.
Electronic Gaming Monthly replaced its numerical scoring system with letter grades in April 2008. This shift moved away from the previous zero-to-ten scale that had been used since the magazine began. A grade of C now represented average quality rather than a passing mark. Games receiving three A+ scores earned Platinum awards, while those averaging B-minus or higher received Silver honors. Metal Gear Solid became the first title to receive four perfect ten ratings back in 1998. That event triggered an editorial change allowing for more generous scoring in future issues. The Shame of the Month award debuted in 2002 to highlight games that received unanimously bad scores. Mortal Kombat Advance and The Guy Game were among the few titles that ever received a score of zero under the old system. These specific examples stood out against the backdrop of generally high expectations for most releases.
EGM en Español launched in Mexico during November 2002 under Editorial Televisa. Adrián Carbajal served as editor-in-chief throughout the run until the publication ceased operations in December 2008. EGM Italia appeared in Italy between 2001 and 2003 before closing its doors due to financial pressures. Brazilian editions started in April 2002 through Conrad Editora and later shifted to Futuro Comunicação. By 2006, additional international versions existed including EGM Thailand and EGM Singapore. EGM Turkey operated until January 2009 when it closed following economic instability. A sister publication called EGM² began publishing in July 1994 with a focus on cheats and tricks. This spin-off eventually became Expert Gamer and then defunct GameNOW after forty-nine issues. These global efforts demonstrated the magazine's ambition to reach audiences beyond American borders.
Ziff Davis discontinued Electronic Gaming Monthly in January 2009 after selling 1UP.com to UGO Networks. The February 2009 issue had already been completed but never reached newsstands or subscribers. Steve Harris purchased the magazine assets from Ziff Davis in May 2009 to restart the brand. His new company EGM Media LLC relaunched the publication in April 2010 with expanded coverage of PC and mobile games. An online relaunch occurred again in March 2019 under the backronym Enjoy Games More. Editor Josh Harmon announced in April 2020 that long-form articles would stop appearing on the site. A Kickstarter campaign launched in October 2024 raised $35,000 within twenty-four hours for a retrospective book titled The Electronic Gaming Monthly Compendium. The original website nuke.com merged with GameSpot in 1996 before evolving into 1UP.com in 2003.
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Common questions
When did Electronic Gaming Monthly launch and who founded it?
Sendai Publications launched Electronic Gaming Monthly in 1988 as the U.S. National Video Game Team's flagship magazine.
Who were the founding editors of Electronic Gaming Monthly during the late eighties?
Martin Alessi served as one of the founding editors who shaped the magazine's initial voice during the late eighties while Ken Williams wrote under the pseudonym Sushi-X.
What scoring system changes occurred to Electronic Gaming Monthly in April 2008?
Electronic Gaming Monthly replaced its numerical scoring system with letter grades in April 2008 to move away from the previous zero-to-ten scale that had been used since the magazine began.
Which international editions of Electronic Gaming Monthly existed between 2001 and 2009?
EGM en Español launched in Mexico during November 2002, EGM Italia appeared in Italy between 2001 and 2003, and Brazilian editions started in April 2002 before additional versions like EGM Thailand and EGM Singapore emerged by 2006.
When did Ziff Davis discontinue Electronic Gaming Monthly and when was it relaunched?
Ziff Davis discontinued Electronic Gaming Monthly in January 2009 after selling 1UP.com to UGO Networks, but Steve Harris purchased the assets in May 2009 to restart the brand.