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Good game, NAG Magazine

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If you’ve ever had the faintest trace of an interest in gaming, then chances are that you’ve picked up at least one copy of New Age Gaming Magazine in your life. It’s been around for 17 years now, the last of its kind in a market that isn’t exactly friendly to print media these days. And those days are over, as South Africa’s last remaining dedicated gaming magazine is calling it a day.

NAG Mag will be shutting doors on the print world in July, as big cheese Michael James explained on the website in a post:

The July 2015 issue of NAG magazine will be our last issue.

The print industry is diminishing quickly and because NAG speaks to a very connected, early adopting reader it has seen a faster than predicted drop-off in advertising and readers. We’re kind of in the middle of a storm of fewer people buying magazines, fewer companies spending money on print advertising, and an ever-volatile gaming industry.

To those readers who are upset about this, I’m sorry. There’s just no way that we can keep this amazing publication alive anymore. I don’t want NAG magazine to become an anchor that drags the rest of the company down, so it’s time to accept the inevitable.

NAG will however continue on as an online news site, much like us cool kids who have been around for a while. Here at Lazygamer, we’d like to formally re-welcome NAG’s expanded online presence, the only way we know how: With vague threats and clumsiness.

The annual Really Awesome Gaming Expo will still be alive and kicking however, so don’t wave goodbye to the Summerslam of gaming conventions that are held locally here. Still, it’s a sad day to see NAG mag close up. I still remember my first NAG magazine, a glossy hard-spined beast with a massive 90mb demo for Omikron: The Nomad Soul and a review for Final Fantasy 8 waiting to be read inside. Good game New Age Gaming Magazine. You had one hell of a run.

Last Updated: May 19, 2015

101 Comments

  1. Geoffrey Tim

    May 19, 2015 at 14:04

    I’ve got be honest guys, I’m pretty heartbroken. NAG and PC format were the cornerstones of gaming media in the country for years. I used to purchase both magazine religiously, loving not just the content inside of them, but the demo discs sticky-taped to the outside. Last year, my heart shattered when PC Format announced it was closing. It’s in pieces again. NAG, as a magazine, is going out of print. Today is a sad day for the local gaming media industry. And really, I love the dudes from NAG. To the future, chaps. To the future.

    Reply

    • Deceased

      May 19, 2015 at 15:21

      This is really sad 🙁

      I still have all PC Format mags from somewhere in 2006 – 2008 -> with the “correct” ION covers ( hoping this might spark the flame to bring back the ION’s here ) … Going to make a coffee table out of them, when I finish my game-backlog ( er gerd, I just realised how long that’s going to take )…

      Reply

    • Peter Pan

      May 19, 2015 at 15:45

      Look at it as the Beginning of a New Era, rather than the End of Memorable One!

      Reply

    • Miklós Szecsei

      May 19, 2015 at 18:13

      <3

      Reply

  2. 40 Insane Frogs

    May 19, 2015 at 14:09

    I can’t say I’m too surprised, their articles and columns have been pretty sub-standard the last few years, and every month the magazine started to feel a lot lighter (starved of content). I have some good memories of NAG though, I once won a game through them, and I used to troll on their forums back when the Earth was young. I also met a lot of interesting people through NAG.

    But, so it goes, lads, Valar Morghulis!! 🙁

    Reply

    • WitWolfy

      May 19, 2015 at 14:15

      LOL “when the Earth was young”. Who are you, Gandalf the Grey?

      Reply

      • 40 Insane Frogs

        May 19, 2015 at 14:18

        Gandalf? Nay young squire, I AM ODIN BANANASON!!!

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          May 19, 2015 at 14:20

          Wait……Jim?

          Reply

          • Admiral Chief

            May 19, 2015 at 14:26

            Yep

          • 40 Insane Frogs

            May 19, 2015 at 14:27

            Just lurking ol’ chap! #LurkModeEnabled

          • Hammersteyn

            May 19, 2015 at 14:28

          • 40 Insane Frogs

            May 19, 2015 at 14:36

            Who knows man.. who knows!

          • Admiral Chief

            May 19, 2015 at 14:28

            I know, I kept your filthy secret, but you revealed yourself today, so finally, I can have closure

          • 40 Insane Frogs

            May 19, 2015 at 14:30

            lol, I didn’t think it was a secret 0_0

          • Admiral Chief

            May 19, 2015 at 14:32

            Well, you already post with a pseudonym, and now you posted as another, I just guessed you were hiding from someone, and hence, I kept it…..I kept it dammit Jim

          • Kensei Seraph

            May 19, 2015 at 14:27

            I’ve been suspecting that he was the Banana ever since you mentioned that he and his alter-ego have been missing for a while and then @40insanefrogs:disqus popped up.

          • Admiral Chief

            May 19, 2015 at 14:28

            Aye, I’ve known for a few months, FINALLY I AM FREE FROM THIS SECRET

      • Blood Emperor Trevor

        May 19, 2015 at 14:18

        40 isn’t the number of insane frogs, it’s his age.

        Reply

  3. Kensei Seraph

    May 19, 2015 at 14:09

    I always check the magazine rack for a copy of NAG whenever I do the weekly shopping but they are almost always sold out.

    https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/47/d7/e8/47d7e8ac66770c3dc0b9307eafbe2f6c.jpg

    Reply

    • Frik van der Hewerskink

      May 19, 2015 at 14:36

      Sold out, or just not printed as much anymore :'(

      Reply

      • Kensei Seraph

        May 19, 2015 at 14:39

        I think it was just that the store I shop at stocks a very limited number of NAG mags and since it’s a large store there are a lot of people who shop there.

        Reply

        • Gavin Mannion

          May 19, 2015 at 15:07

          yeah I think if they were selling out they wouldn’t be closing it down…..

          Reply

  4. Mistake Not...

    May 19, 2015 at 14:10

    Sh*t, really? Damn. I honestly didn’t expect this to happen any time soon. It’s almost religious for me to check the shelves on the last Thursday of every month.

    So long and thanks for all the demos.

    Reply

  5. Blood Emperor Trevor

    May 19, 2015 at 14:11

    I used to enjoy my NAG mag back in the day. And those CDs were a life saver sometimes.

    Reply

    • 40 Insane Frogs

      May 19, 2015 at 14:15

      They used to have a fire in their belly. It’s what made me love NAG so much in the early years. Walt’s (Ramjet) columns, interesting and professional reviews (with a local twist), and then something changed, and they were no longer the same NAG…

      Reply

    • WitWolfy

      May 19, 2015 at 14:16

      Especially when we didnt have internet to get the latest drivers or DirectX updates back in the day.

      Reply

      • 40 Insane Frogs

        May 19, 2015 at 14:19

        That was awesome! Or the cheatbook! I used to love the cheatbook!

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief

          May 19, 2015 at 14:26

          HE’S ALIVE!

          Reply

          • 40 Insane Frogs

            May 19, 2015 at 14:28

            Quick! Get the disinfectant! 😀

          • Admiral Chief

            May 19, 2015 at 14:29

            xD

    • Victor "Vicky" Moolman

      May 19, 2015 at 14:25

      When I was just a youngling with a PC me and bro used to collect the NAG cd’s to use when we format our PC. We could get everything we needed from them. Gonna miss them forever.

      Reply

  6. Mistake Not...

    May 19, 2015 at 14:12

    On a lighter note, what if there was a Lazygamer/NAG hybrid? Probably unlikely, but nonetheless suggest some names. I’ll start with the obvious:
    LazyNAG

    Reply

    • konfab

      May 19, 2015 at 14:27

      New Age Lazygamer

      Proudly sponsored by the Guptas.

      Reply

      • Gavin Mannion

        May 19, 2015 at 14:31

        SOLD.. give me the millions

        Reply

        • Blood Emperor Trevor

          May 19, 2015 at 14:33

          You know you’re going to have to ask the hard questions then, right? Like, MSSA – good e-sports manager, or the best e-sports manager?

          Reply

          • Kensei Seraph

            May 19, 2015 at 14:40

            Does the MSSA still exist?

          • Pariah

            May 19, 2015 at 14:40

            The best, of course! $$$$$$$

          • Gavin Mannion

            May 19, 2015 at 14:57

            nope I’ll be on an island somewhere.. someone else can post the drivel

          • Admiral Chief

            May 19, 2015 at 15:06

            “I have dreams, like you — no, really!
            Just much less touchy-feely
            They mainly happen somewhere
            Warm and sunny
            On an island that I own
            Tanned and rested and alone
            Surrounded by enormous piles of money”

  7. WitWolfy

    May 19, 2015 at 14:13

    to be honest I never supported NAG. I was more a PC Format dude as a kid.. GOOD TIMES, GOOD TIMES!

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      May 19, 2015 at 14:25

      Same here, but I did buy the odd NAG every now and then

      Reply

  8. Eric

    May 19, 2015 at 14:14

    Those driver updates on the demo disks saved my life when I was on 56k 🙁

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      May 19, 2015 at 14:25

      Dem feels!

      Reply

      • Eric

        May 19, 2015 at 14:28

        Games like Stronghold. I remember buying that specifically after reading the NAG review.

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief

          May 19, 2015 at 14:30

          Yeah, and playing 7 types of snot out of the demos, and saving up to buy the proper game (in those big-ass boxes)

          Reply

          • ReaperOfSquirrels

            May 20, 2015 at 08:42

            I miss those big-ass boxes.

          • Admiral Chief

            May 20, 2015 at 08:51

            As do I dude, as do I.

            With TONS of free things inside

  9. Kensei Seraph

    May 19, 2015 at 14:15

    I think my first NAG was the one that came with the Sacrifice demo.

    Reply

  10. kuuu(UMAR)rrrr

    May 19, 2015 at 14:15

    Ahh….I remember buying a NAG magazine after going to the shops with my mum on a weekend. The sweet, sweet feeling of coming home, making something to eat and going through those 50 + trailers and funny videos. Hell I remember once they even included an entire episode of Baki the Grappler. Like who does that?! Who puts a full anime episode on a DVD that you attach to your magazine…Who!?….NAG, that is who, and you know what, I loved them for it. Many humble and sincerest thanks to the peeps at NAG. Your magazine was great, and was a solid pillar of my childhood…Goodluck.

    Reply

  11. Hammersteyn

    May 19, 2015 at 14:15

    NAG was equivalent to my PS+ back in the day

    Reply

  12. James Anderton

    May 19, 2015 at 14:20

    Been a hell of a ride guys. All good things…

    Reply

  13. RinceTriss

    May 19, 2015 at 14:20

    Le Sigh 🙁 For realz.

    Reply

  14. Victor "Vicky" Moolman

    May 19, 2015 at 14:23

    These aren’t tears. It’s just raining inside my office…:'(

    Reply

  15. HairyEwok

    May 19, 2015 at 14:23

    So i guess the good news would be that rAge has a new opening for a sponsorship?

    Reply

  16. Wyzak

    May 19, 2015 at 14:24

    This really sucks, what happens to those of us who still have a valid subscription for a few more months?

    One has to wonder how much of an influence the post office strike had on this.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      May 19, 2015 at 14:24

      Cookies!

      Reply

  17. The Sten

    May 19, 2015 at 14:24

    The End of an era, and the start of something new.

    Im just glad they have the good sense to see the end coming and prepare for it, rather than having to close up on ugly terms (retrenchments, debt etc.)

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      May 19, 2015 at 14:24

      Aye, you said it man

      Reply

  18. RinceTriss

    May 19, 2015 at 14:24

    Way back in the day I used to buy NAG for the CDs, and the wallpapers. Damn it man this is a sad moment. Good luck chaps with your future.

    Reply

  19. Admiral Chief

    May 19, 2015 at 14:24

    First PCF, now NAG

    *sigh*

    [sings something like video killed the radio star]

    Reply

    • HairyEwok

      May 19, 2015 at 14:25

      More like Digital sales and day one patches….. They couldn’t fit all those patches on a disc anymore.

      Reply

  20. konfab

    May 19, 2015 at 14:28

    Funny how we are discussing this on a website that probably helped kill it :/

    Reply

    • The D

      May 19, 2015 at 14:28

      Self-defense man.

      Reply

    • 40 Insane Frogs

      May 19, 2015 at 14:28

      It is rather ironic, aye!

      Reply

    • Pariah

      May 19, 2015 at 14:41

      I think every digital website, local and international, killed print.

      Reply

      • konfab

        May 19, 2015 at 14:43

        To be fair, the writing has been on the screen for quite a while now.
        If you look at Naspers for example, they make most of their money online now peddling trash on news24

        Reply

        • Pariah

          May 19, 2015 at 14:46

          Yeah. The problem is simply that we don’t have to spend money on a magazine to get our news – and the magazine invariably has news that’s a month old by the time it’s published. With the internet available to us so readily, the benefits of print diminish drastically. It’s sad, but that is the reality.

          Reply

  21. Deano

    May 19, 2015 at 14:29

    Dam, Sad news!
    I used to buy NAG monthly, but as time has past and internet/broadband has evolved no longer needed to buy a magazine with old news and demo’s that can be downloaded over the net in a few minutes.

    I could see this coming as the magazine seemed to shrink every few issues that past.

    But thanks for memories NAG!

    Reply

    • konfab

      May 19, 2015 at 14:32

      A few minutes?

      What is this 1995?

      Reply

  22. David

    May 19, 2015 at 14:33

    NAG used to be the only way a young, internetless peasant like myself could get essential DirectX drivers, patches, mods and stupid meme vids… back in the 2001ish-like era.

    Farewell, again.

    Reply

  23. Tbone187

    May 19, 2015 at 14:39

    Gamepro was my choice back in the day. Bought Nag once I believe but it never kept my interest.

    Reply

  24. FoxOneZA

    May 19, 2015 at 14:50

    NAG and PCF probably gave most of us the knowledge to venture into the I.T industry. I remember when certain general knowledge questions came up in computer exams and I was like year FireWire supports a certain throughput greater than USB and the rest of the class will be like “whats a FireWire? WHO ARE YOU?”. Thanks for the entertainment, freebies and knowledge NAG.

    Reply

  25. ChapmanC

    May 19, 2015 at 15:13

    As a member of the printing industry this saddens me. And yet i have sadly seen this coming. To all at NAG, good luck. To the community of Lazygamer. Lets all have a moment of silence for what gave us gaming news, reviews and hardware dreams when the days of 56k internet was still around.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      May 19, 2015 at 15:14

      DAT 5kbps download speed!

      Reply

  26. Ranting Raptor

    May 19, 2015 at 15:19

    Oh great. The magazines that shaped my gaming habits, NAG and PCF, are now both gone.

    Digital sucks!

    Reply

    • Gavin Mannion

      May 19, 2015 at 15:19

      posted on a digital media site…

      Reply

    • konfab

      May 19, 2015 at 15:20

      I am sure Lazygamer has a postal address where you can send your written complaint.

      Reply

      • Ranting Raptor

        May 19, 2015 at 15:24

        • Admiral Chief

          May 19, 2015 at 15:32

          wut?

          Reply

          • Ranting Raptor

            May 19, 2015 at 15:33

            Foot in mouth dude

          • Admiral Chief

            May 19, 2015 at 15:40

            I know, but dayum, strange gif

          • Wesley Fick

            May 19, 2015 at 16:44

            There’s a rumor on NeoGAF that there’s an Ally McBeal GIF for literally every situation.

          • Splooshypooh

            May 19, 2015 at 18:05

            I dunno, kinda got me tingling 🙂 *giggidy*

  27. Splooshypooh

    May 19, 2015 at 15:23

    Devastated with this announcement. First PC Format, now NAG too?!?! What the HELL am i supposed to read on the toilet now? I will actually cry real man tears for you 🙁

    Reply

    • Ranting Raptor

      May 19, 2015 at 15:25

      Tablet + website?

      I know it’s not the same. Doesn’t feel the same… But hey, what can you do

      Reply

    • konfab

      May 19, 2015 at 15:25

      Release the inner slob and use your phone

      Reply

      • Splooshypooh

        May 19, 2015 at 17:58

        I suppose that’ll work…. grumblegrumble… dont have to charge a magazine before you can read it… grumblegrumble… kids these days with their computers… grumblegrumble… GET OFF MY LAWN!

        Reply

  28. Lord Chaos

    May 19, 2015 at 15:42

    Sad puppy is sad. 🙁

    Reply

  29. Pieter Smal

    May 19, 2015 at 16:03

    Good riddance. Contributors to NAG became pompous, resting on their laurels. NAG shrunk from the Epic magazine it was 7 years ago to a feeble, substandard tabloid. Gaan weg!

    Reply

    • Norman Babcock

      May 19, 2015 at 18:55

      Go eat a dick.

      Reply

  30. Allykhat

    May 19, 2015 at 16:07

    Wow… Pretty bumming news 🙁
    Live long and prosper NAG peepz //_

    Reply

  31. Avi

    May 19, 2015 at 16:26

    Sad news, brilliant reviews, brilliant read, brilliant free stuff on the disks.
    All the best to the NAG Staff

    Reply

  32. V@mp

    May 19, 2015 at 16:28

    As my last remaining source of physical reading material, this saddens me. Time spent on the porcelain throne just won’t be the same :p

    Reply

  33. Ghost In The Rift

    May 19, 2015 at 22:09

    This is heavy, first PC Format and now NAG, this was my only gaming related news and hardware magazine’s that reached Namibia, got all my discs and mags, thanks guys for the great content and excellent reporting.

    Reply

  34. Plebosaurus

    May 19, 2015 at 23:11

    I remember my first NAG. It had a review of Command and Conquer Tiberian Sun. Voxel over Voodoo! Rofl.

    Reply

  35. Prrtipap

    May 20, 2015 at 08:00

    My first NAG had a glorious gold cover page with a review of Quake III inside. Ah man, good memories.

    Reply

  36. ReaperOfSquirrels

    May 20, 2015 at 08:40

    I had NAG mags from July 1998 (2nd issue) all the way into 2000/2001, every issue, and I refused to miss a month… so understandably this saddens me greatly. I hope the people at NAG land into great jobs and wish them all the best for the future.

    Reply

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