I've been going to IGN since late 1997, early 1998. I went there for the movie news. I used to have a movie website, and used them a lot for movie news. Didn't even bother looking at their game news until around 2000 or 2001. They've changed a lot over the years. I think 2004 or 2005 was the last time that I was 'big' on that site. The last few years I don't bother much with the site. I used to agree with a lot of their reviews, at first. But then, it got to the point I started to disagree with a lot of their stuff. And then, it started to become obvious that they were becoming like most major review places, and giving unjust reviews. Like, they started rating games that didn't deserve it higher ratings, and games that did deserve it, lower ratings. I couldn't understand their logic at times. Then, I started hearing rumors and reading articles from others who commented on how the IGN reviews felt more like 'paid off reviews' then actual reviews. Which, for some reviews that I read there, made sense. And then, they went on this whole Anti-Nintendo campaign for a while. Where they pretty much hated on Nintendo while praising Sony and Microsoft. Which, that's ok, if that's their real opinions. However, some of it just felt completely unjustified. Like, I get some of the complaints about Nintendo and what they were doing. Those were completely understandable. But IGN got too overly critical of them, for no reason. I was reading other websites who used to call them out on it. And then, after a lot of backlash from them, boom, IGN started changing their tune, and actually started giving credit where credit was due. Mostly. They still showed a heavy bias. But it wasn't as bad. But still noticable. Then, they had some staff that finally started to defend Nintendo. They still criticized them, at times, but for stuff that was reasonable. They weren't bashing them just to bash them. It felt fair. Over time, they've started to get better. But overall, I don't bother too much with videogame news from IGN. I still go there for some movie news. But I have since found so many other sites that I get my movie news from. And, they post up stuff earlier than IGN does. It's like, IGN is always slow to get the news at times. Except when there's an announcement or major expo or something, where everybody gets the news at the same time. But otherwise, for all of the normal, or smaller stuff, IGN always feels "late to the game". They get all of the news, and share it all. But I got to a bunch of other sites that not only have the exact same news, but post it earlier. Sometimes a few hours earlier, and sometimes a day or two earlier. I only visit IGN now maybe 2 or 3 times a month. And when I do, every single thing on there that I'm interested in, I've already seen or read it on other sites. So I've pretty much lost interest in IGN. I still go, every other week, or so, out of habit, mostly. But these days, I could definitely live without it.
I've been going to IGN, again, since late 1997/early 1998, and it got really big, from those days. Of course, there were times when I liked it a lot (especially in the early days, when they weren't as well known), and other times where I felt that it was a complete joke. I even think their forums are terrible. But that's mostly the users. I was on it for a while, but got so sick of it, so fast. I stuck with it, even tho I didn't like it, because I had nowhere else to go, forum wise. But I finally got directed to another site, and I loved being there. I even soon became a mod for the site, and was so a few years. That is, until one day, the owner of the site just stopped posting, and then later stopped signing in. He was never around. Didn't answer any messages. So us mods ran the site ourselves. It was going smoothly. It was fun. But then, out of nowhere, one day, poof... the site was gone. Like the owner just stopped paying for the site, and the servers shut it down. I've messaged the owner, but still haven't gotten anything back. I've talked with the other mods and users, but none of them have heard anything either, and don't know what happened. It was like the owner just vanished. Of course, nobody knew the owner in real life, so who knows what happened. But his online presence just disappeared for a few months. Not sure what happened there.
Anyways, as for magazines, man, I've pretty much given up on magazines a long time ago. The only magazine I get is Game Informer, and that's only because it comes free with my Gamestop Rewards Card. That's it. Yeah, I could get the digital version, but if I did, I would never read it. I get all of my news online anyways. So there would be no reason for me to read the digital version. So I get the actual magazine. So when that comes it, I don't even read it. I just skim through every page. If I find something that interests me, that I haven't already read or know about, then I'll stop and read it. But most of the time, I skim through every page, and am "done" with the magazine, usually in under a minute. But my nephew likes to read them, so I keep them for him too.
Back in the day, before the internet, I had lots of magazine favorites. Nintendo Power. GamePro. etc.etc. But now, no, not really. Just one that I get for 'free'. Eventho I don't buy too many used games these days, like i used to.
As for what websites I go to on a regular basis, wow. I go to a lot, to be honest. I could make a whole list of them. I won't at this exact moment in time, as I'd have to pull them up, and then double check them, and I just don't have the time for that, as I'm about to head out in a little bit. But I can do that later. I'm going to go and pick up my copy of The Legend of Zelda: The Winder HD Collector's Edition, retail copy, with the Ganon Statue. It's 10:15am here, and Gamestop opens up at 11am. So I'm going to hop in the shower, get ready, head out to Gamestop, pick up my game, then go pick up a friend, and then go get my car worked on. My starter is going out, and my power steering hose has a hole in it. So I'll be getting those fixed today. But, I'll get to enjoy Zelda later tonight, once all of that is taken care of.
I'll be back online later tonight, so I can make you a list later. But I don't have time at this exact moment to get that up and running for you. But again, I've pretty much stopped reading gaming magazines, but I can give you a list of what I used to read on a regular basis. As for websites, it'll take a minute, but I can make a list of the websites that I visit on a regular basis. Some I check daily, while others I check multiple times days. And others, I check at least once every couple of days. But all of them I check at least multiple times a week. So, I'll have to get back to you on that. But it's coming.
