In both print form and as an online destination for gamers,Electronic Gaming Monthlywas one of the more important gaming publications of the last 35 years. Between the magazine’s first issue in 1988 and its last in 2014,EGMserved as a sort of guidepost for other gaming publications to follow, establishing the offbeat sense of humor and distinct personalities of its staff rather than exist as a nameless monolith meant to authoritatively report on games and the gaming industry. In many ways,EGMserved as the foundation for the style and rapport of individual content creators onYouTube, showcasing thatEGMas an entity is continuing to influence and inspire despite no longer being in circulation.
It’s the continued appreciation and reverence forEGMthat led to the plans for a book celebrating the publication’s history, but few could have predicted the response that such a book would receive. After years of development and planning to create a comprehensive history of the magazine and its contents,The EGM Compendiumwas announced alongside a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, which fans helped fully fund in just 2.5 hours. The overwhelming response to the Kickstarter campaign is in line with the spirit of the book, with co-author Josh Harmon recently reflecting on the publication’s impact on readers and beyond.
The EGM Compendium Celebrates the Magazine’s Legacy and Continued Impact
For anyone who grew up during the late 1980s and1990sand played video games,Electronic Gaming Monthlyis likely the most recognizable publication of the era. While it was far from the only magazine on store shelves that players could pick up to read about the latest gaming news, it was arguably the most prominent and impactful, including its notorious Review Crew and their unfiltered takes on reviewing and dissecting the ins and outs of the latest titles. In other words, it was the personality and humor ofEGM’s contributors that resonated with readers, and it’s something thatThe EGM Compendiumhopes to replicate with its curated contents.
Speaking with co-author Josh Harmon about the legacy of the magazine and what the response has been to the announcement of a compendium collectingEGM’s highlights throughout the years, Harmon was quick to point out that, throughout its 25-year run,EGMwas always a dependable source of a very specific kind of games journalism.
The magazine evolved quite a bit over the years, but it was always quick to offer the latest gaming news, unafraid to be brutally honest, and bursting at the seams with its editors’ humor and personality. To me, one of the most iconic EGM features was the multi-person reviews. You’d always get a pic, and later a little biographical blurb, for the reviewers in each issue. They weren’t some monolith speaking on behalf of the whole publication.
Coincidentally, Harmon acknowledged that the type of games reporting players could expect within the pages ofEGMwasn’t all that far off from what gamers have today via individualcontent creatorson YouTube, noting that “…it feels like an early forerunner of what’s become super common in the internet era with influencers. People gravitate toward streamers and content creators for their personality.”
The EGM Compendium’s Contents Aim to Recapture What Fans Loved About the Magazine
The genesis forThe EGM Compendiumcame about from the push for theEGMbrand to begin publishingbooks about games, with the realization that its first book should be a volume about the magazine itself. In terms of how the contents for the book were curated, Harmon notes that the team wanted to include “select reviews that are of particular importance” as well as “other notable excerpts from the magazine”. In addition to featuring a selection of key moments from across the publication’s history, the book covers the growth and change of the magazine as well as features contributions from severalEGMalumni and other prominent voices within the industry.
The EGM Compendiumis currently in crowdfunding on Kickstarter with the physical copies of the book expected to arrive February, 2025.
