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Gamefan Magazine
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 4:40 am
by Monde Luna
I know a few of you are from California. I was wondering if any of you were firmiliar with the california based magazine called gamefan. I know it was sold many years ago but after that i'm not so sure. They even had a website for awhile. If anyone knows anything I would appreciate the info.
Gamefan used to be my favorite mag when it was owned by a couple of guys that had their own game store. They were cool I used to go down there with my step dad when I was probably around the age of 7.
Thanks 
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 5:46 am
by GhaleonOne
GameFan is long since defunct. Dave Halverson (can't remember if he was editor in cheif or just one of the main editors there) started up Gamers Republic about the time GameFan died, and after it died, he started up Play Magazine which is still around (
http://www.playmagazine).
This website's original creation (now rpgfan.com) was once part of the GameFan Online Network actually. I know they got into some real trouble by letting an article slip with "filler text" that was fairly racist in nature. I don't think their relationship was ever the same with Namco after that. And they had that ordeal with Working Designs regarding the Lunar: Eternal Blue review. But aside from some major setbacks, a lot of the time, the magazine was pretty good.
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 6:09 pm
by DragonmasterDan
A few more notes, GameFan was originally called Die Hard Game Fan. It was originally produced as the newsletter for the Die Hard Game Club chain of import stores. After a legal dispiute with Sears over the name Die Hard (which Sears puts on a number of products) the magazine dropped the Die Hard name from its title, the main store changed its name to Game Cave and many of the Game Club franchises changed their names or went under. Game Fan along with Game Cave was bought by another company in 1999 and shortly therearter died. Another magazine that evolved from the death of Game Fan was Game Glow which lasted only a few issues if I recall correctly.
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 7:48 pm
by Monde Luna
Thanks for the info. The last time I knew gamefan was still around was probably 3 years ago. They were having problems though because I subscribed and recieved maybe 3 magazines at the most and never got another magazine. I knew a few other people that had the same problem. At that time they still had the website and you could still find their mag in some stores. Gamefan did have some really strong feelings but it was a good mag. Esp. when it first game out.
Thanks guys
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 9:08 pm
by DragonmasterDan
Monde Luna wrote:Thanks for the info. The last time I knew gamefan was still around was probably 3 years ago. They were having problems though because I subscribed and recieved maybe 3 magazines at the most and never got another magazine. I knew a few other people that had the same problem. At that time they still had the website and you could still find their mag in some stores. Gamefan did have some really strong feelings but it was a good mag. Esp. when it first game out.
Thanks guys
They closed in 2000 or early 2001. They've been gone a lot longer than three years.
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 11:36 pm
by ilovemyguitar
GhaleonOne wrote:And they had that ordeal with Working Designs regarding the Lunar: Eternal Blue review.
What was this? Did they give it an unfair review?
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2005 1:36 am
by Monde Luna
They closed in 2000 or early 2001. They've been gone a lot longer than three years.
Sigh, that really makes me feel old.
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2005 1:52 am
by DragonmasterDan
ilovemyguitar wrote:GhaleonOne wrote:And they had that ordeal with Working Designs regarding the Lunar: Eternal Blue review.
What was this? Did they give it an unfair review?
They aparently didn't complete the game all the way through infuriating Victor Ireland.
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2005 2:12 am
by ilovemyguitar
DragonmasterDan wrote:ilovemyguitar wrote:GhaleonOne wrote:And they had that ordeal with Working Designs regarding the Lunar: Eternal Blue review.
What was this? Did they give it an unfair review?
They aparently didn't complete the game all the way through infuriating Victor Ireland.
I can understand how that would cause problems. That game, in particular, needs to be played all the way through before one can really make any fair judgments on it, particularly on its story.
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2005 2:32 am
by Alunissage
There's a mention of it in the interview at the end of the EB strategy guide.
The review is on WD's site:
http://www.workingdesigns.com/museum/se ... -gmfan.htm