PC Gamer Sweden is no more, R.I.P PCG 1996 - 2015

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I know that there is an end to everything, and that nothing lasts forever. Even so, I still took the news about PC Gamer Sweden´s death rather hard. Because I have been a fan and a reader of PCG since 1998 (I do own all the magazines from 1996 to 2015 though). Truth be told. I actually grew up reading PC Gamer, from High School to Collage, from a teen to a man. So I’ve seen and read everything there is to PC Gaming for 19 years time now. And I have so many awesome PCG memories as well, for example, I remember all those funny letters that people sent in during the early years of PCG .”Angry mom part 1, 2″ for example, where a mother complained about porn ads in the magazine (I do also recall that she whined about Lara Croft?) And I´ll have you know that PCG has had a huge impact on the PC Gaming scene in Sweden as well (more than you could ever imagine). Like when PCG did a lot of media coverage on the early E-sport scene in Sweden (Quake 2 and CS tournaments, is there anyone who still remembers “d00mer“?).

I own every single magazine of PC Gamer to date. It sucks that the December issue will be the very last PCG magazine.

Besides that I also remember all those crazy pictures which people used to send in to PCG (screenshots from games), not to mention all the neat game posters that PCG handed out for free and the PCG cds and DVD´s that came with every magazine (which contained tons of demos, patches and sometimes even full games). Not only that, PCG Sweden has had very loyal fans and readers too. As many readers have been with them since day one (1996 in November to be exact). However, over the years more and more people went from reading magazines to just reading reviews, interviews and such on the Internet instead. And this took it´s told on PCG. So the very last magazine of PC Gamer Sweden will be released in December this year (number 233), then the party is over, I’m afraid. It was fun as long as it lasted though.

I have even had the pleasure to meet some of the people behind PCG Sweden as well. Like Thomas Petersson (the man with the big beard) and Joakim Bennet (Bennet became “somewhat” famous among PC Gamers in Sweden when he became super excited over the sexy water effects in Morrowind). So with that said, thank you for all the awesome Gaming memories PC Gamer! And oh! I also added a translated version (its a rough Google translation) of FZ.se´s interview with PCG Sweden´s Thomas Petersson (ex-chief Editor). And just for clarification, PC Gamer as a whole is not dead. It´s only the Swedish part of the PCG label that´s gone for life (at least for now).

What was it that made the PC gamer so great? At most, the magazine sold 42,000 copies!– The biggest was undoubtedly the personal contact between us on the editorial staff and readers. Sure, the game became very big at the end of the 90s, we received great impetus, but just as geeky as personal style PCG headquarters fronted bottomed understood in joy. Without that match their journalistic expertise with, the outcome never been so good. We have always easygoing, personable and genuine. Such feeling a reader.

What impressions have PC Gamer done in games Sweden?
– An enormous footprint. We were the largest and oldest gaming magazine for nearly two decades meant that everyone had a relationship with us. Before the Internet became popular was named PC Gamer almost mythical, talked about and respected. Loved. A love that always gone both ways, as I said.

Why survived the newspaper there as long as it did, in spite of newspapers dying out?
– Here is a short and a long (long) response. The short answer is that we had to correct mouth after lunch. We have wanted to but could not make the changes that might have saved us, maybe not. It’s an extremely tough market out there right now. Our love for the game, the written word and the reader connector has led us to ride out not just one, but several storms. The investment we made more own-production a few years ago, we were, for example, very fine response. Without interest, it is not. Unfortunately, not without money either.

How does it feel now?
– Piss and shit. I myself have lived actively with Gamer for over ten years. Knowing that we could not do ourselves justice in recent years have been heavy and creative demoralizing. We wanted more. Against all readers and based on the magazine’s history, it feels incredibly sad. It’s a tough finish right now. The name PC Gamer is not dead, so who knows, we might make a phoenix on yo asses ?!
While I have the opportunity, I would like, on behalf of the newspaper say a huge and well intended thanks to all who supported us through the years. You made it possible.

The closure will be in conjunction with the magazine’s publisher, Egmont Publishing, will present an austerity package which means that all 37 positions will be eliminated by the publisher. The last issue of PC Gamer comes around the turn of the year. Previously, Egmont Publishing sold FZ.se for Geeks Publishing. Game Guard is thus becoming a rare phenomenon in the publishing house.

Credit:
FZ

Source:
The very first PC Gamer Sweden magazine
FZ

***Disclaimer***
This is a personal opinion of the writer, and it doesn’t necessarily represent the other writers (nor The Gaming Ground´s) opinions.

Robin “V-Act” Ek
The Gaming Ground
Twitter: @TheGamingGround