Why Official Xbox Magazine Shutting Down Might Be a Good Thing

• The Official Xbox Magazine will be closing its doors after nearly 2 decades of faithful service to the Xbox community.
• This closure is the latest casualty in the consistent decline in magazine sales.
• While it’s sad for those who’ve lost jobs, the closure is probably for the best in the long run.

It’s always sad when a gaming institution shuts down. Whether it’s a website, a developer, or even a magazine, it can be upsetting to the long-time fans. The latest loss is the Official Xbox Magazine, which is shutting its doors after nearly 2 decades of service.

Obviously, this is crushing to both the employees and readers of the magazine. It’s never fun to lose your job. Especially not at a time when the entire world is on tenterhooks over COVID-19. But, it’s probably for the best.

The Official Xbox Magazine was pretty popular back in its day, but it’s not shocking that it bit the dust. | Source: OXM/Future Publishing PLC

Official Xbox Magazine Is a Relic Like Most Print Media

It’s been difficult to accept that most print media is dying. Physical magazine sales have been on the decline for years.

Magazines like the Official Xbox Magazine can only collate an entire month’s worth of information into a single issue. News and review can arrive too late and cannot be updated.

These magazines use up a lot of resources when they have a big readership. Even if you’re not personally concerned about the issue of climate change, it’s undeniably wasteful to use up resources on something that can be done easier and cheaper online.

Online Magazines Are Just a Much Better Option

You might have loved the Official Xbox Magazine, but that information isn’t really going anywhere. If anything that information is just more up-to-date than it was when you were getting it once a month. It’s available at GamesRadar where it has been since 2015.

Most magazines these days are just sort of redundant. You can get up-to-the-minute information whenever you want. Even as someone who prefers the tactile feeling of physical media, I can understand why the convenience of online news media trumps physical media.

As sad as it is that Official Xbox Magazine employees lost their jobs, we have to remember that this is a symptom of change. Sometimes change is a good thing.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com.

This article was edited by Aaron Weaver.

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