First Annual Free Gaming Magazine Week Declared

[joethelawyer]

Forked from: Level Up! ? Kncockspell? KQ? Fight On! ?


If I could make a suggestion---based on all the responses to the other thread wherein people say they never heard of many of the magazines, and also based on the responses wherein some people say they love certain ones, could the publishers of the various mags agree on a date and make a "Free Magazine Week"?

You could make available a free pdf of an issue of your magazine which you consider to be representative of your best work, and allow others to check it out. Not just an article or two, but the full magazine. With the decline in places to buy a hardcopy, we can't do what we used to do and flip through a magazine and check it out before buying it. I bet if you did this you would get new subscribers from the free promotion---enough to offset the small loss of revenue you would incur from a onetime release of a free pdf.

In fact, just to make it easier, I'll do it for you. I'm hereby declaring June 1 through June 7, 2009, to be the first annual "Free Gaming Magazine Week." All publishers are welcome to participate by putting up a pdf of your best representative magazine for free so people can check it out. Feel free to advertise it in this thread if you are going to participate, along with links to the free issues.

I'll just say "You're welcome" in advance to the publishers for all the new subscribers you're going to get, and also to the readers for all the free copies of good magazines you'll be able to download.

I know I'm not the only one interested in this, am I?

 

[Hussar]

Great idea Joe.

However, I would point out that nearly every online magazine has at least one free issue, and usually more than one. I think the problem is more one of visibility. It's extremely hard to find these magazines unless you're specifically looking for them.

 

[joethelawyer]

Great idea Joe.

However, I would point out that nearly every online magazine has at least one free issue, and usually more than one. I think the problem is more one of visibility. It's extremely hard to find these magazines unless you're specifically looking for them.

It would be nice if there was one place, a webpage or something, which had an updated list of all mags, a brief description of each one, and a link to both the mag's homepage and to a free sample of each one. Anyone know if there is such a list?

 

[Rechan]

There's also the issue of "We just started - you want us to make our first/second magazine (which only comes out every few months) free?"

It also undercuts those who all ready purchased that issue.

 

[Jack99]

I like that you base your knowledge on those magazines' visibility on a single thread from ENworld and then come with advice to the companies on how to do things. But since we apparently deal in assumptions here, I will make some of my own. I think that most of these magazines (aside from LU and possibly KQ) seem at best to be niche products since they cater to the old-school D&D movement. Those communities are probably so small that most members are at least aware of the magazines.

Fight On! and Knockspell look very cool though, I must say. I am almost tempted to pick them up for some old-school nostalgia.

Edit: Clarified point

 

[Treebore]

I don't think they should give whole issues, especially Fight On! Issues 3 and 4 are both over 100 pages!

However, I think if they could participate in Free RPG day and give out 20 to 50 page samplers of their articles, I think that could work well for them.

OR at least do it as similar PDF's, that are easy on our printers, for your proposed plan.

As for Level Up!, if you don't pick that up at your LGS for $2.00, and DL the free PDF with the provided code, your either seriously hurting for cash, or your cheating yourself out of a great deal.

 

[Aus_Snow]

I think that most of these magazines (aside from LU and possibly KQ) seem at best to be niche products since they cater to the old-school D&D movement. Those communities are probably so small that most members are at least aware of the magazines.

Yep, that sure is one hell of an assumption. And not an unusual one, from a certified 'nu-skool' convert.

Now, I'm not sure either (i.e., anymore than you truly could be), but - if Lulu's sales mean anything whatsoever (and hey, they might) - this might just change your mind. A bit, perhaps?

Best selling author of March 2009? Pretty good going, I would say! And, from memory, Knockspell came close, as a runner-up.

edit --- hm, that might've been a better link. oh well.

 

[Jack99]

Yep, that sure is one hell of an assumption. And not an unusual one, from a certified 'nu-skool' convert.

Do you honestly believe that the amount of people who play ODD and 1st edition constitute anything but a niche? Besides, regarding the nu-school convert, please bear in mind that it's 3.x that I do not like. I would still play the old editions in a heartbeat, if the opportunity presented itself.

Now, I'm not sure either (i.e., anymore than you truly could be), but - if Lulu's sales mean anything whatsoever (and hey, they might) - this might just change your mind. A bit, perhaps?

Best selling author of March 2009? Pretty good going, I would say! And, from memory, Knockspell came close, as a runner-up.

edit --- hm, that might've been a better link. oh well.

I am familiar with the achievements of Fight On! And while I am not super-familiar with Lulu, my impression (and I could certainly be wrong) is that it doesn't take that many copies to get a bestselling item.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Do you honestly believe that the amount of people who play ODD and 1st edition constitute anything but a niche?

Yes.

]I am familiar with the achievements of Fight On! And while I am not super-familiar with Lulu, my impression (and I could certainly be wrong) is that it doesn't take that many copies to get a bestselling item.

Then you could possibly have access to more data than I do. Fair enough. Like I said, I dunno.

 

[Wycen]

This thread is NOT what I expected.