The new World of Warcraft magazine from Future Publishing proves that print's not dead, it's just holed up in Icecrown Citadel waiting for a 20-man raid to take it down and loot it for rare drops.
The first issue, dated Winter 2009, is handsome, glossy and completely advertisement-free. The 144-page quarterly feels a lot like Future's classy UK publication Edge: It has a square-bound spine and an embossed, wraparound cover that depicts a showdown between the Arthas, the Lich King and Sylvanas Wind Runner. The same art is reproduced within as a two-page foldout.
As a collector's item or geeky coffee table centerpiece, it works. As a source of information, the WoW mag can't compete with the internet. Much of the first issue's preview content rehashes stuff we learned about the Cataclysm expansion at BlizzCon last August. And all the strategy guides (dungeon tactics, PvP tips, etc.) within have an expiration date, since Blizzard's regular changes and updates to World of Warcraft could render some or all of the advice obsolete.
The magazine does a good job of turning players on to types of play they're not already embroiled in. The colorful, well-illustrated advice columns piqued my interest in end-game battlegrounds. Several two-page spreads depicting the Isle of Conquest battleground came illuminated with tips, details and arrows portraying the flow of battle. You don't see maps this clear or appealing online. World of Warcraft Official Magazine leverages the print approach towards infographics extremely well.
But it bears repeating that those who think they know everything there is to know about World of Warcraft are likely to scoff at this magazine. I think it's a mistake to dismiss the magazine merely because the info isn't Internet fresh. The advice columns and strategy guides are full of solid, colorful tips, stories that I wouldn't have chased down on the web.
And, as a more casual player of the game, I find the friendly, informative tone of each piece much more appealing than the tone of many online guides. I've got the column "Tanking: Major Threat" dogeared for future reference, since the toon I'm getting the most play out of right now is a Draenai warrior.
And even the over-informed might find something inside this magazine that teaches them something new about the game they've been playing for five years. That's because it also does a great job of exploring the many different ways that people play World of Warcraft.
"Animal Magnetism" explores the hobby of collecting in-game pets, while "Crowning Achievements" tracks players who chase the game's many secondary goals for fun, profit and cred. There's a lot of room to explore the culture of Azeroth and the goings-on of the people that play there.
My biggest gripe with the magazine is about the stories that center on lore. The one-page piece "Who is Deathwing?" does a fine job of laying out the motivations and origins of the armored dragon who will be the centerpiece of the Cataclysm expansion. But a second lore article, "Sylvanas vs Arthas: A Woman Scorned" reads too much like a Wikipedia plot synopsis. There's lots of improvement to be made here, especially if the writers decide to focus on telling a story and setting a scene rather than rehashing plot points.
This first issue will most likely be the last to feature Dan Amrich, now running the One of Swords blog for Activision Blizzard, as editor-in-chief. Wired.com's former managing editor Marty Cortinas has taken over the gig. It feels like the magazine is on a good course; it's already a find addition to the World of Warcraft fan's real-world library, and a few course corrections will keep it interesting.
Subscriptions to World of Warcraft Official Magazine are $40 for four issues, $70 for eight. Those who subscribe before February 28 will nab the premier issue with their subscription. The magazine won't be available on newsstands.
Image courtesy Future Publications
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