CreatureX

We knew it was coming...

Gamespot today announced its 'GameSpot Complete' program.

SpacemanSpiff

goddamnit

jeffdsmith

Yeah it sucks.

They seem to be doing it better then IGN...

At least game2extreme.com is still free... (This is not a shameless plug, I swear! )

Josh H

Ridiculous. Luckily there are lots of fan sites that post the same news within hours of the big sites getting it. I refuse to pay for internet content beyond my ISP fees. If all VG sites start charging, I'll just use EGM for my gaming fix. It's not like VG news is life or death, need to know it the minute it happens, or anything. These online sites aren't written well enough to pay for, as opposed to EGM, IMO. To hell with them.

Gamewizard

this is getting pretty bad. good thing I have a backup

Day Lahs

I'll stick with my IGNsider

Flay

Same here. Insider is enough for me at $1.66 a month.

Outlaw

Ahhhh !#$@!........well actually I think creatureX is right though I did see it coming sorta....they have about 20 movies per game, steaming video even in multple formats. And they also had those Video Reviews that must have costed mega bandwidth dough, but they didn't really need those IMO. I like gamespot a lot, it seemed like they updated their site constantly, and the gamespotting section was pretty cool. I'll still visit, but if it gets too intrusive then...

IIG

Looks like I'll have to cut them loose the same way I did IGN. Planet GameCube it is...

AgtFox

Good, we can finally put the "But Gamespot is free" quotes to rest

Draven

here here.

josh, I normally totally agree with you, but it seems silly to say that you won't pay for an internet site but you will pay for a magazine.

I don't need to know about games RIGHT AWAY either, but when I pick up an EGM to see the game they are previewing is one I'm already playing, it does seem to date itself pretty badly.

IMHO, the writing is not a WHOLE lot better in EGM anyway. I'll happily pay for both Insider and Gamespot, since I feel that, as Flay said, $1.66 a month for daily updates and reviews doesn't seem to bad.

The internet won't be completely free forever you know...

Gromit

I expect our flat rate internet access to go away eventually. I think that within 5 years we'll be back to paying by the hour for internet access.

AgtFox

I think things may move toward this. I pray it doesn't, but I think it will.

Josh H

I'm just not a huge Internet fan. I much prefer sitting down and reading a magazine or newspaper as opposed to reading news or whatever on the Internet. So I feel magazines and newspapers are worth my money and Internet sites are not.

If the Internet is not free for ever, so be it. I'll quit using it. My life doesn't depend on it.

Personally I think there will always be free sites out there offereing nearly the same material, although maybe not as timely as the pay sites.

Even if Video game fan sites go away, there will always be forums like this where people post the news and discuss it. I get most of my online gaming news fix here already anyway as I usually read something here before I see it elsewhere.

Cyberock

I don't think we'll be paying by the hour again. Bandwidth is cheap compared to what it was 5 years ago. Back then, to get broadband in the house, you had to go ISDN which was $99 a month plus 1 cent a minute. As technology continues to improve, the price goes down. I couldn't even host a website for less than a $100 a month 5 years ago that received any kind of traffic. Now places are giving away hosting. I think what is expensive is the developers for these sites even though that is starting to change with the way the market is now. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying bandwith is free but it's not as bad as it was years ago. Even T1 lines are a quarter of the price now compared to 5 years ago. I think a successful website will figure out a way for advertisers to pay their costs and maybe selling merchandise. Charging the user to view material isn't going to be successful when there is a million other places offering that information for free. In fact, I was really pissed off to pay for one site, not mentioning names, and found out that I can see that every place else for free. The other thing is, what gives a site the right to charge for material they get for free from the game companies???? Hmmm...let me throw my logo on some pictures I receive from a company's press section for free and charge you to view it...doesn't sound right to me.

RCL66

Did you guys actually read the details on what they are doing? It's not like IGN or other pay services entirely. All news, reviews etc. will be available FREE for the first 7 days. Reviews will still have some screen shots and movies available. With the Gamespot complete you just get more and also unlimited downloads and NO ADDS. In order to get past news and reviews you need to subscribe.. But $19.95 for a year is not that bad. And no adds alone is a great thing. It's not nearly as annoying as IGN IMHO. And their format is alot easier to read than IGN.

Josh H

I'm not sure about the reviews. I read the available for 7 days thing, but another part telling what's available for non-subscribers said "Gamespot review scores" rather than whole reviews, and "reader reviews." I'm not sure if that means the whole reviews will be available for 7 days, and then only the scores for non-subscribers, or if the scores is all non-subscibers can ever get.

IIG

What? EGM Previews are quite a while before games hit release, even if the magazine is written months in advance. Their reviews sometimes come out quicker than the internet sites, because the companies seem to provide EGM, and other high profile magazines, really early copies so that they can finish the game, and write a review to coincide with release. Rarely is anything late, even what is deemed latebreaking news. The writing is much better in EGM than anywhere else personally, but that's certainly opinion. I'm never paying for an internet site (until the day that I ABSOLUTELY have to), so Gamespot can shove their subscription rates up their...

AgtFox

In addition, many of the EGM reviews are posted on Gamers.com well before it is seen in print by us.

Flay

Then enjoy EGM's coverage of E3.

Josh H

I will. It always puts these talentless web hacks to shame. I just skim E3 news online for new game announcements, and wait for my EGM for the details and screen shots.

spainlinx0

Damn everyone boasting about how great EGM is nowadays how things have changed. I remember back when I really used to read gaming magazines that the only one worth my time was Gamefan. I was so pissed when they went out of business. Such in depth reviews, and great screen grabs to go along with it. I still don't think EGM is that great a magazine at all personally, but to each his own. I have a subscription because it's free. Personally I think the writing on Gamespot is more than adequate, and I don't see any leap onto the magazine format. Everytime I read one it seems like they cover less and less.

finbogg

I just want daily radar back. They had the bext reviews and hilarious commentary.

Outlaw

Eep! Paying by the hour again will be the death of the internet! I remember when I was on 36.6 I found a place that had a flat rate, I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread.

As for EGM, I got a free issue a few months ago (the one with resident evil on the cover) and it was fairly good, and there was enough information, articles, and screens in it to keep me occupied for awhile. Not sure if i'd pay for it though but it didn't seem "that" bad. Besides most of the corporate sites have their own E3 sections which they''re probably working on right now, I'm pretty sure nintendo and sega had one last year on their own websites.

How'd we get so far off topic. Back on track, I read the details about the complete package and its actually not as bad as I thought, they have all news for 7 days with a few screens, but if you subscribe you get the whole deal and no ADs which is nice. Its a lot better than clicking on every link brings to a pay screen. Again i don't know if i'll pay for it until it happens. A good strategy would be to get the free trial during E3 so you get the unlimited downloads. They reported stuff live from the show last year and had these "shows" in which they broadcasted through streaming video.

CaptainMarvel

Well crap. Since Gamefaqs is affiliated with Gamespot, I went over there to see what the word was:

I wish places would understand that making ads "bigger and bolder" tends to run away customers, not bring new ones in; that's exactly what IGN tried to do before they went Insider.

It's funny. I won't pay for Gamespot, which will be charging, but I WOULD pay for gamefaqs, which isn't charging.