R.I.P. Tips & Tricks

[Melf]

Larry Flint Publications looks to have shuttered its magazine that doesn't specialize in splayed vaginas, the video game outlet Tips & Tricks Magazine. According to a report from a T&T freelancer, staffers were informed of the news that magazine would cease monthly publication on Monday morning, learning that the August 2007 issue would be its last and that only monthly code books would be released.

Details on layoffs were not disclosed, but the freelancer, Jeb Haught, writes that LFP was "planning on firing the entire staff this week, with no severance pay, while they were away from the office at E3 promoting the magazine."

The official Tips & Tricks web site has changed over the past few hours from reflecting the magazine's monthly publishing schedule to the new format of monthly code books. In other words, visual proof of people getting fucked in a totally new way. Michael McWhertor

Edit: It's true. Here's what Bill Kunkel (gaming journalism legend, head of T&T staff, and all around great guy) had to say on Digital Press:

First off, the reports that were mirrored off Jeb's ravings in Joystiq, etc. are largely inaccurate. I was brought in as a consultant last fall because T&T couldn't last with all that free content on the web. After looking at the situation I recommended that LFP sell the magazine, since there was an offer on the table. But Larry didn't want to sell and they wanted to know what I'd do if I had to try and save the magazine. I said it had to be brought up to date (the site was a joke and there wasn't even an email address). I felt there had to be a quality website. I wanted computer games covered, and I suggested more "lifestyle" columns (such as Mark Johnson's unique look at game-based action figures, Anatole Brown's Japan Report, Collector's Closet, etc.) and fewer columns based around a single game franchise. Finally, I introduced feature articles on subjects that weren't being covered in the other game mags, like careers in gaming, game colleges, competitive pro gaming, etc. We also got out the first serious coverage of Shadowrun (with tips from and interviews with the developers) and I had just, with the help of Anatole (who speaks fluent Japanese), fulfilled a life's dream by interviewing Nishikado-san, creator of Space Invaders.

But the fact is the magazine just wasn't selling. Within about 6-7 months we reached a point where I was really proud of what we'd done, but the readership was still sliding downhill.

There were no secret deals to fire people while they were covering E3 or any of Jeb's hysterical nonsense. In fact, before I was let go, I urged that the staff be informed of the situation before E3 so they'd have a chance to hustle up new gigs. And I can not imagine people like Anatole, Mark, Chris, Abbie and Geoff Arnold not being able to get work in the industry. And our AD, Lisa Beattie, is the most talented art director in the game magazine business.

I know that serious attempts were made to get better severance packages for the staff, especially for someone like Chris who endured throughout 15 years with LFP and is now a freelancer, but that was Larry's decision and it's his money.

I have no idea what the "Dear John" letter that was supposedly pre-released to the staff refers to since I was running the magazine and no one mentioned it to me. Sure I wish that LFP would have either sold the magazine to a company that was prepared to go all the way with the reconstruction or gone all the way himself, so to speak, but that magazine was kept alive for years after the point where it had stopped making money and was being destroyed by the Internet. Just ask EGM, which is not likely to be here this time next year.

I was personally treated very well at LFP (they let me edit from home for two weeks and then flew me out to LA for a week to work out of the office for almost a year; how many publishers would go for a deal like that?). They paid me very well and were totally supportive of my changes. I am grateful that they gave me a chance to get back in the world of print and I hope the people who feel T&T was just a washed-up codebook get to take a look at the eight issues published this year, because I'm certainly proud of them.

Bottom line, I'll be at CGE and can give you all the whole story. Meanwhile, the upside is that Commodork, which everyone seems to love, got a bump and Cav's story on the best arcades in America will indeed appear in the 150th and final issue of T&T.

Source.

Sad but not suprising. T&T didn't really do anything that other mags didn't do already, and the Internet has made the whole codes and tricks thing unnecessary.

[kingoffighters]

Gamefaqs really made T&T completely obsolete. Not that I like T&T to begin with.

[voltz]

Gamefaqs really made T&T completely obsolete. Not that I like T&T to begin with.

That's true.... that's DAMN true it went obsolete, because we have no use for buying printed media that hardly offers anything we can't get online these days. While I'm sad to see it go, I'm surprised at how long it was able to hang in there.

Now the wait for gamepro's closure begins...

[gamevet]

Now the wait for gamepro's closure begins...

Gamepro should have been gone about 7 years ago. The magazine is a total joke, even compared to the likes of (long deceased) Game Players magazine.


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Tips & Tricks did nothing to make it a unique magazine, that could provide useful content to co-exist with the huge amount of info provided through the internet. At least with GI and EGM, they are attempting to secure exclusive behind the scenes articles and interviews that might make those magazines viable.

[Kev]

As a tips magazine it was useless, but the aformentioned unique articles were entertaining and informative. I'll miss the mag.

[ElCapichan]

Gamepro should have been gone about 7 years ago. The magazine is a total joke, even compared to the likes of (long deceased) Game Players magazine.

Same for T&T. the magazine has been useless for ages. I honestly don't know how the hell it has survived. Who the hell was buying that trash?

[voltz]

Gamepro should have been gone about 7 years ago. The magazine is a total joke, even compared to the likes of (long deceased) Game Players magazine.

Didn't Bill Donohue write for that publication?

[Frogacuda]

I know people that swear by the non-code/tip releated parts of the magazine. They should have changed the name and dropped the whole pretense.

[Taito]

T&T covered arcade tournaments and collectors items, in addition to their walkthroughs and codes. All readily available from the Internet.. not that any print media can compete with the Internet these days.

I hate the culture of gaming media where news about what moves and shakes the gaming industry, takes higher priority than actually playing and enjoying them. I liked T&T's format that catered to the latter.. which reminded me of the format in Japan's Arcadia magazine, and I don't believe that was coincidental.

[Space Pirate Roberts]

*pours out a 40*