According to MCV, Imagine Publishing Managing Director Damien Butt explained that "the decision to suspend N•Revolution has been taken because it has become increasingly obvious that Nintendo's strategy for Wii and DS is no longer in line with Imagine Publishing's target readership." Butt claimed that this has moved console owners "increasingly away from the hardcore gaming community that is our specialty."
It's not exactly news that the Wii and DS are attracting new people to gaming and expanding their audience beyond traditional gaming demographics. This has long been a hot topic amongst industry watchers and gaming pundits, but the fate of N•Revolution shows that it affects the media who have business models based around appealing to that userbase.
For Imagine Publishing, the shift away from traditional markets is having adverse effects on their ability to place advertising in the magazines. Explained Butt, "we believe the resources and manpower are better spent in other markets where advertising revenue and PR support are stronger and sustained."
Imagine Publishing will still work with Nintendo and cover Nintendo platforms via their multiformat publications.
Or are they too incompetent to deal with different thought patterns?This.
I think the issue here is that the critical mass of Wii and DS owners don't read the hardcore gaming magazines. The best way to reach them is via print outlets like USA Today and via TV advertising. The 18-34 male demographic is no longer dominant for the Wii and DS, so if that's the demographic you're servicing then you're going to have problems with Wii/DS print media.
