1UP is a husk. EGM is dead. Sad news, especially for subscribers, especially for those anticipating what would have been the magazine’s 20th anniversary issue. But hey, chin up, here’s your silver lining.

Former EIC James Mielke has posted the cover of the ill-fated February 2009 issue of the magazine, an issue that should have been a celebration, but instead won’t ever rattle a subscriber’s mailbox, won’t ever be seen on a store shelf.

It will at least be seen, however. Mielke writes that the magazine’s final “issue” will be made available on 1UP.com, print ads and all, for everyone to read. Won’t fill that void of “what can I read on the can?”, but can at least give you some closure.

The Last Day of EGM, The Secret Lost Final Issue of EGM [1UP]

Oh boy. Looks like the sale of 1UP to Hearst hasn’t gone as smoothly as you’d expect. Rather than simply move house, it seems most of the site’s most experienced/popular writers have instead been let go.

Looks like when Ziff CEO said “Many of our employees will travel with this business and become part of the UGO team”, he actually meant “we’re taking the interns and tea lady and that’s about it”.

According to twitter posts, GAF posts and phonecalls to MTV, around 30 staffers were let go today, including Skip Pfister, Ryan O’Donnell, Philip Kollar, Jay Fresh, Cesar Quintero, Nick Suttner, Anthony Gallegos, Matt Chandronait, Shane Bettenhausen and former EIC James Mielke.

Also cut were most of the Gamevideos.com team, as well as production of the 1UP Show.

Leaving, what, Sam Kennedy and Garnett Lee? That’s a day of long knives if ever we’ve seen one.

EGM Shuts Down, More Than 30 Ziff Davis Employees Laid Off [MTV]

What began as a rumour last month has now escalated into full-blown fact; Ziff Davis have officially sold the 1UP network to competitors Hearst, owners of UGO.com.

Hearst – who more importantly own many of the nation’s biggest newspapers along with ownership stakes in ESPN and the History Channel – will however only be taking ownership of the network’s online presence.

Which means long-running print magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly won’t be along for the ride. This will be the last month the magazine is published, bringing to an end nearly two decades of independent, influential games editorial.

RIP, games magazines. Below is an email sent to Ziff employees by company CEO Jason Young earlier today, courtesy of Gamasutra:

Team:

We are announcing today the sale of our 1UP digital business to UGO Entertainment, a division of Hearst Corporation.

Over the course of the last 4 years we have built the 1UP sites into a top tier gaming digital destination. While our growth has been sharp, it has become apparent that more scale is necessary to effectively compete in this market segment.

We made the decision that the best path to putting our award winning 1UP brand and content in a more competitive position was to combine it with the operations of another publisher. We received much interest from other parties.

After a comprehensive process, this morning we completed a deal with Hearst Interactive, the owner and operator of UGO Entertainment. 1UP.com, MyCheats.com, Gamevideos.com, and Gametab.com will now all be part of the UGO Entertainment business. Many of our employees will travel with this business and become part of the UGO team.

With this transaction happening, we have also made the decision to discontinue publication of EGM. The January 2009 issue will be the final issue of the publication. With demand for print continuing to decline amongst both advertisers and readers and the content being produced by 1UP no longer available for use in the publication, it simply did not make sense for us to move forward with this business any longer.

We will continue to operate the Filefront business as a part of the PCMag Digital Network. In the coming months we will determine the best ways to leverage the scale and functionality of this digital property to expand our business position.

The Ziff Davis position in the gaming market has been significant and important to our company and the market itself. While many of our assets in the PCMag Digital Network (including Filefront now) will continue to cover this market, it’s important that we celebrate all that we have achieved over the last 25 years.

Our leadership in print for decades with titles like Computer Gaming World and EGM which in turn translated into the build out of one of the leading digital gaming media assets in 1UP are prime examples of the skill, passion, and expertise of our teams.and what they achieved.

It’s incredible to compare the 1UP.com of today versus that of 12 months ago. I want to thank everybody in our Game Group for their important contributions over the years.

For Ziff Davis Media, our attention and focus now shifts squarely to the PC Mag Digital Network. The proceeds from this transaction will be used to pay down debt. One of the primary objectives of our business plan is ensuring that we have plenty of room to service our debt obligations into the future, and manage for growth in what will be a challenging year in the advertising market.

While the market will be tough, we are confident our position is well aligned to where the demand is most active. We move forward as a 100% digital business with tenured brand position, and powerful capabilities to drive results for our customers. I look forward to sharing more updates in the coming weeks.

JY.

Interesting how he says “many” of their employees, not “all” of them.

Breaking: Ziff Davis Sells 1UP To UGO/Hearst, Closes EGM [Gamasutra]

“The Court’s confirmation of our Plan is a major milestone for Ziff Davis as we look to emerge from Chapter 11 restructuring,” said Jason Young, Chief Executive Officer of Ziff Davis Media. “We are very proud of the progress we have made during our short time in Chapter 11 to become a healthier company. We remain grateful for the unwavering support of our customers, vendors and employees throughout this process and we look forward to continuing our work with all of our stakeholders after our emergence. After concluding our restructuring, we will be better positioned, with the financial strength to grow and capitalise on our strengths.”

The plan, in a nutshell, splits the $AU 452.82 million in debt between new stock and a $AU 60.84 million debt.

I’m happy to see that both 1Up and EGM survived the turmoil. Let’s hope that they both recover as stronger entities than when ZD first filed.

Court Confirms Ziff Davis Media’s Plan Of Reorganization

Company Expects to Emerge From Chapter 11 on July 1, 2008

NEW YORK—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Ziff Davis Media Inc. (”Ziff Davis” or the “Company”), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Ziff Davis Holdings Inc., today announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the “Court”) confirmed Ziff Davis’s “Second Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan Of Reorganization,” dated May 6, 2008 (the “Plan”). Ziff Davis currently expects to emerge from Chapter 11 on July 1, 2008.

“The Court’s confirmation of our Plan is a major milestone for Ziff Davis as we look to emerge from Chapter 11 restructuring,” said Jason Young, Chief Executive Officer of Ziff Davis Media. “We are very proud of the progress we have made during our short time in Chapter 11 to become a healthier company. We remain grateful for the unwavering support of our customers, vendors and employees throughout this process and we look forward to continuing our work with all of our stakeholders after our emergence. After concluding our restructuring, we will be better positioned, with the financial strength to grow and capitalise on our strengths.”

As previously announced, the Plan substantially de-leverages Ziff Davis’s balance sheet by converting over $428 million in funded indebtedness to (a) new common stock of reorganized Ziff Davis Media and (b) a new note of $57.5 million. The acceptance of the Plan by voting creditors was overwhelming. The Plan provides Ziff Davis with sufficient cash to fund its exit from Chapter 11 as well as its ongoing business plan. This funding will enable the Company to finance its Chapter 11 exit obligations as well as ongoing operations for the foreseeable future.

More information about Ziff Davis’s reorganization, including the Plan and Disclosure Statement, are available at www.bmcgroup.com.

Today, speaking at the 11th Annual Electronic Gaming Summit, Ziff Davis Media CEO Jason Young told the gathered summit members that the restructuring process will be wrapped up in June. More importantly, he noted that their $US 400 million debt will be reduced to a paltry $US 57 million, leaving them with the cash flow to invest back in their products, which includes 1Up, EGM and GameVideos.

Sounds like Simon Cox, , Vice President of Content for the 1UP network, hit the nail on the head when he said they would be bigger, better, faster, stronger when they came out of the restructuring.

Stay tuned later today for reports on talks given to this small group by Microsoft’s Jeff Bell;, analyst Michael Pachter; Tanya Giles, of MTV; and the always energetic Peter Moore.

Some of these are so bad they look like LOLz. Utterly incongruous text over the graphics. Like someone developed a game and then they retrofit whatever art was laying around because they ran out the packaging budget. Pure Pinball? That looks more like a concept for Fox Force Five or something.

The Worst Video Game Box Covers, Part 4 [1Up]

Exclusive Gears of War 2 Gameplay Video on Friday [1UP]

Shu is quick to point out that the decision was his alone and not one forced on him or dealing with any sort of lay offs, or connected in anyway to the recent news about Games for Windows. He says on his personal blog that after 11 years at the company it’s time to move on.

It’s with a heavy (and relieved) heart that I write this: I’ve tendered my resignation here at Ziff Davis Media and the 1UP Network. My last day here will be Friday, April 25.

This is my own decision; I’m not being forced out or laid off or anything like that. And this is not related to the recent news about Games for Windows: The Official Magazine (and I hope I’m not stealing any thunder away from those guys — that’s not my intention here). It’s just time for me to move on. I’ve been here, mostly with EGM, since April of 1996. That’s 11 years (taking off one year when I did a brief stint at Gamers.com)…quite a long time!

While Hsu doesn’t say where he’s headed he does that that we will hear from him again in the near future.

love the videogame business too much to stay away (plus, I’m too old to become a professional snowboarder). Besides, I will miss you guys too much. You all have been fantastic. I sincerely appreciate all the support you’ve thrown my way over the years — and that, I’ll never forget, either.

Thanks and good bye…for now.

I just hope it’s still as a writer. The game industry doesn’t need Hsu as much as we do.

Hit the jump for the official release naming Sam Kennedy as his replacement as Editorial Director for 1Up Network.

Goodbye [1Up] [Image]

***1UP Network Media Bulletin***
1UP Network Announces New Management Appointment
Sam Kennedy Named as Editorial Director for 1UP Network

April 11, 2008- 1UP Network, the recognised authority in video game content and industry expertise, reaching over 24 million gamers per month, announced today a new management appointment within the 1UP Network. Sam Kennedy, the driving force behind 1UP Network’s online properties as site director will be taking on the added role of editorial director as of April 25, 2008.

As site director, Sam Kennedy’s fervent vision for the future of 1UP Network’s online properties and respected leadership, coupled with his seasoned experience as editor-in-chief of 1UP.com has helped transform 1UP Network into what it is today— the first family of gaming print publications and online sites to provide fully-integrated content and a comprehensive social network. In the added position as editorial director, Sam will report directly to Simon Cox, vice president of content, contributing to the execution of the strategic vision for 1UP Network, setting and maintaining the editorial voice of the 1UP Network, and fostering consistency and co-operation among the editorial brands.

Current editorial director, Dan Hsu, is stepping down to pursue personal interests.

Despite knowing that my own place of work is part of the cause greater, the death of so many print publications is unfortunate. So in the midst of all the “great opportunity” euphemisms, it’s refreshing to see editor-in-chief Jeff Green liken the experience to “the passing of a loved one” with unrestrained melodrama. Those with standing subscriptions will be contacted shortly.

Games For Windows Magazine Moves Online [1UP]

Harai, author of ‘Break from the Pack: How to Compete in a Copycat Economy, will be joined by a slew of other industry folks and journalists. Yes, game journalists:

Cammie Dunaway, executive vice president of sales and marketing, Nintendo of America, Inc
Jeff Bell, corporate vice president of global marketing, Interactive Entertainment Business, Microsoft
Peter Moore, president of EA Sport
Michael Pachter, managing director, research, Wedbush Morgan Securities
Jason Holtman, director of business development, Valve Software
N’Gai Croal, Newsweek
Daniel Sieberg, CBS News
Geoff Keighley, Spike TV
Brian Crecente, Kotaku.com.

Hey! I know that last guy! I sure hope everyone knows to not say anything around him, I hear he’s a blogger.

NEW YORK, March 25 /PRNewswire/ — 1UP Network, the recognised leader
in print and online videogame content, announced today that celebrated
author, Dr. Oren Harari, will be headlining a stellar lineup of speakers at
the 11th Annual Electronic Gaming Summit. The Electronic Gaming Summit,
held May 19-21, 2008 in Napa, Calif., is the only event of its kind to
provide a platform for leading videogame industry influencers and top-level
executives to learn, network, and exchange ideas about the gaming culture
and its future.

The 2008 Electronic Gaming Summit boasts presentations from an array of
elite videogame industry and non-industry leaders, who through their vast
knowledge, experiences and business visions, will share invaluable insight
on hot-button gaming-related issues and trends. In addition to Dr. Harari,
author of ‘Break from the Pack: How to Compete in a Copycat Economy,’
Summit speakers include such key business players as Cammie Dunaway,
executive vice president of sales and marketing, Nintendo of America, Inc.;
Jeff Bell, corporate vice president of global marketing, Interactive
Entertainment Business, Microsoft Corp.; Peter Moore, president of EA
Sports; Michael Pachter, managing director, research, Wedbush Morgan
Securities; Jason Holtman, director of business development, Valve
Software; Beth Simone-Noveck, professor of law, director, Institute for
Information Law and Policy, Democracy Design Workshop; Tanya Giles, senior
vice president, research and planning, MTV Networks Entertainment Group;
and a panel of prominent journalists that cover the gaming industry
including N’Gai Croal, Newsweek, Daniel Sieberg, CBS News, Geoff Keighley,
Spike TV, and Brian Crecente, Kotaku.com.

“From the inception of the Electronic Gaming Summit, this event has
been the gaming industry touchstone for uncovering key trends and
generating forward thinking,” states Jason Young, CEO, Ziff Davis Media.
“This year’s diverse lineup of speakers truly continues the prestigious
reputation of this event. Through their varied backgrounds and specialties,
their presentations will no doubt enlighten minds, open important dialogues
within the industry, and cultivate new ideas. I can’t wait to hear what
this great group of minds has to say!”

The theme of this year’s Electronic Gaming Summit is 1:1, exemplifying
what the focus is of this unique event, as it is defined in many different
ways — the meeting of individuals face to face, the opportunity to have
direct, focused communication, and the current industry genesis as the
birth of the next-generation consoles translates into continuous growth and
opportunities.

To check out what the 1UP Network is all about, please log on to
http://www.1up.com. For more information about the 1UP Network, please log
on to http://1upnetwork.ziffdavis.com.