Could this save the video game magazine industry?

Physical print with video integrated in the pages? Woah dude, it looks like my magazine is talking. Maybe it's not just the "medicinal" plants though.

Cnet is reporting that an upcoming print issue of Entertainment Weekly will run a short video ad from Pepsi and CBS to promote Pepsi Max.

From the article

"the screen, which is 2.7 millimeters thick, has a 320x240 resolution. The battery lasts for about 65 to 70 minutes, and can be recharged, believe it or not, with a mini USB cord--there's a jack on the back of it. The screen, which uses thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT LCD) technology is enforced by protective polycarbonate. "

What does this mean for the future of gaming magazines? I'm sure it could be used for actual content, reviews, previews etc. and not just ads, afterall.

Do you think we'll see this in the new EGM? Steve Harris made a vauge reference to physical and digital/internet integration for the EGM revival, but is something like this too little too late?

Especially after so much content is already available for free online?

Still, the prospect of opening up a magazine again, away from a computer screen, and having video alongside printed articles seems quite magical.

Tags: EGM, Steve Harris, Magazines, americhip

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Chris "Cosmo" Ross

August 19, 2009

Wow...I remember watching Minority Report and thinking how cool the newspapers and cereal box looked. I can't believe that this is real technology. I really interested to see how good it looks, and whether it seems out of place in a printed magazine or not.

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Alejandro Quan-Madrid

Yeah, especially since everyone wants HD something or another these days. I wonder if a little screen could do a graphically intense game justice.

Lance Darnell

This is an amazing find. I don't see the Harris implementing something like this off the bat, but in the future? What this technology could be great for is an annual video game magazine that is more of a collectable. But damn! Its a brave new world, and I am feeling like John Savage! Thanks very much for sharing this Alejandro!

Jazz English

I actually see this making a much bigger impact on the newspaper industry.

@Lance - Thanks. I agree, I think Harris is thinking something a little different but similar but it'll be exciting to see where this technology goes. @Jazz - I could see this being big for newspapers as well. Let's hope it works out for them. For now though I guess the advertisers would foot the cost until the technology becomes cheaper and more accessible to the actual content producers.