I picked up the JULY issue #8 of the XBOX mag. I am totally impressed! The demo disk included 11 DEMO's!! The DOA3 bonus pack was also included! (new costumes and intro). There was an interview with one of the editors who said that they are going to add alot more bonus packs and were looking for imput on what kind of bonuses you would like to see( like extra levels, new wepons, new characters, which games would you like updated...etc) I am hooked! the subscription comes out to be $3.33 an issue for a year....does anyone know if it is possible to pick up earlier demo disks that I have missed?
Thanks

I think Ebay is your best route. I have heard that the OXM HQ is actually out of most of the demo discs from previous issues.

Its a good magazine, certainly much better than my last subscription to Official Dreamcast MAgazine.. I was stupid enough to re-subscribe while I still had 2-3 issues left for another year or two. Doh!

Anyone else get burned on the GameGo! Fiasco too? $25 for a years subscription (ie: 1 issue)

-Jim

I signed up for it. The subscription price is a bargain.

I also got burned on the Dreamcast magazine, but I think the Xbox will be around a lot longer.

I agree about the Xbox magazine too. With the free demos and previews, it's totally worth the subscription price.

I picked up the July issue this weekend. I love getting the demo disc, but I wish the same company that did the Official PS2 mag did this one. The 'Xbox rulez!!!!' attitude is REALLY annoying. Good grief, do these guys have an inferiority complex or what? OK, the Xbox has better hardware than the PS2, we get it. Let it go.

How is the XBM mag? Maybe I could live without demo discs for the sake of better content.

Try the Xbox Nation mag. It is independent (supposedly) but they do not harp as loudly about Xbox superiority, etc. as OXM does. It is annoying but they obviously feel they need to sell the system to anyone possibly reading. I just overlook it for the demos & reviews.

The Official Dreamcast Magazine (ODM) was the same way, actually most of the writers of ODM moved to the XBox mag.

I totally agree with your assessment of the "XBox Rulez!!!" attitude at OXM. I have an XBox and like the demos and previews, but come on...their bias completely turns me off from reading the mag at all. Did you guys notice how they kept on hyping the Microsoft developed NFL Fever as the Best Football Game EVER? It was a very good first (aside from the fact that one could complete a 40 yard bomb - on the toughest skill level consistantly) effort but best ever??? Please.

I find myself really liking EGM. Clean layout and the writing isn't bad. Sort of like Next Generation.

Still going to get OXM for the demos, definitely saved me from wasting a rental/purchase on a few games.

Official XBOX Magazine is terrific!!! I just picked up the July issue with Bond on the cover. the demo disc is great!!! Spidey, Jedi Starfighter,Triple Play. I love those demos, I have to get a subscription now.

Is that the price for an OXM subscription (3.33x12=39.95)? Because I just went to their website at http://www.officialxboxmagazine.com and they're offering a 1-year subscription for just $24.95, which comes out to a little over $2 per issue+disc.

I just got a renewal notice in the mail. Based on what the renewal says, it is $2.08 an issue if you subscribe, $24.95/yr.

Also, though Amazon has it for $14.95/yr., that is without the demo disc.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005QDWQ

I thought this review of the magazine sums it up nicely:

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
"Like Maxim, but about Xbox!" was clearly the mandate given to Mike Salmon, former editor-in-chief of PC Accelerator and current editor-in-chief of The Official Xbox Magazine. He got it half right: this gamer lifestyle magazine has the locker-room feel of Maxim but lacks Maxim's intelligent, tongue-in-cheek style. The result is something that looks like it was written by high-school sophomores. For example, a bio of Kasumi, a character in the game Dead or Alive 3, reads "A redhead with a difference--she can take on all comers. And if DoA 3 has the "[breast] bounce on/off" option, she'll definitely have a lot of comers." On the plus side, the game reviews and previews are informative and mostly free of bull. --Mike Fehlauer

I'm just getting it for the discs. If the mag is that idiotic I will just toss it. $2.08 for the disc is well worth it. I will stick to EGM for everything else.

Yes, the mag is bad. Worth it for the disc tho.

What really bugs me is that you'ld think they'ld know better. Gamers in general, X-Box gamers in particular skew older, 20s-30s. It seems like they're oriented towards 14yr olds.

I wonder who tells them to do that?

I ordered online tuesday. Anyone remember how long it took to get your first issue...

I WANT DEMOS!

Heliosnine, Thanks for the heads up! I called the xbox-mag CSR, and she gave me the 24.95 price!!! too koewl. Can't wait for more demo disk!

I think I'm going to order today, really just for the demo disc. I feel like I'm encouraging them though.