90 replies to this topic

[Tuncer (IMG)]

Hi Folks,

This has been long overdue but we are considering shutting down Inside Mac Games on a permanent basis. We would love to keep it alive but the sad fact is that it has been neglected for far too long and it's time to make some changes. We would like to open up some discussions to see if we can come up with a solution.

Here's some ideas to get the discussions going:

1) We shut it done....hasta la vista.
2) Sell Inside Mac Games to an interested buyer.
3) Develop a new web site with the help of the community (more news oriented, less reviews, etc).
4) Other suggestions.

Thoughts?

[Janichsan]

Well, that doesn't really come as a surprise, given how little activity there was in the last months.

Option 3 would be my preference, but this still would require at least some dedicated staff. Other Mac gaming sites with only two or three writers, like Mac Gamer HQ, also are noticeably struggling.

[MichalM.Mac]

I would love to see option 3. Unfortunately I can't help with articles because my Enlish is too poor for that :-(
- Is it possible to hire some people and pay them for ad profit?
- Have you spoken with other Mac gaming sites if it would be possible to do some kind of merge?

[Hansi]

I'd say remove the parts that aren't too active any more and just focus on it as a forum?

[Tacohead]

Option 3 would be my preference is well. I also like the idea mentioned just above about merging with other sites. Perhaps consolidating the last few Mac gaming websites together into one would be better for everybody? What's going to happen to the Mac Game Store though?

I'm very sad to see this happen but I'm not really surprised either. I know how difficult it is to keep something like this up plus the landscape in Mac gaming has changed dramatically since the early days of Inside Mac Games. I've been with this since the beginning, even did reviews for the site for a while, so this will be sorely missed.

[ipickert55]

#3

[dojoboy]

#3

Man, sad news, but I understand things change. It'd be wonderful if the forum remained in some fashion. I've enjoyed it. IMG Pro for EVUUUUUH!!!

[Ichigo27]

Hansi, on 21 November 2014 - 04:41 PM, said:

I'd say remove the parts that aren't too active any more and just focus on it as a forum?

That or #3.

[Wumpus]

Definitely keep the forum if you can, though I know it also runs on a paid service. (I  think anyway, IP board, so if a paid service is an issue, a cheaper and/or free forum could be implemented?)

Not seeing a merge happen, nor do I want a merge to happen with other Mac game sites. They all have different styles and focus. I know who runs them all on a semi-personal basis. This isn't a critique, but everyone wants to do their own thing in a specific way. Merging has lots of issues with that.

I do have a fair amount of web development experience. I am interested in the idea of the community helping develop a new site. That option shouldn't go off the table just yet.

[nick68k]

Sad to hear this. At the very least I'd like to see the forum remain in some capacity. Happy to contribute some $$ if this helps running costs.

[Tetsuya]

I'm also sad to hear this, but can understand why it might be necessary.  I largely come back for the community of the forums, if that helps you make a decision.

[ipickert55]

I don't have a lot of webdev experience, but I would be very much willing to learn if it means keeping this community together.

[Mr Pink]

I'd definitely prefer option #3 and would appreciate an emphasis on news.
I hope in any case the forum will be kept alive in its current form.

How will this all affect MacGameFiles and MacGameStore?

[Thain Esh Kelch]

3.
4. Forum only.
2.
.
.
.
1.

[Tuncer (IMG)]

Mr Pink, on 21 November 2014 - 08:32 PM, said:

I'd definitely prefer option #3 and would appreciate an emphasis on news.
I hope in any case the forum will be kept alive in its current form.

How will this all affect MacGameFiles and MacGameStore?

MacGameFiles will be shut down before the end of the year. MacGameStore is alive and well. We just released version 3.0 of the client.

[Mr Pink]

You could merge IMG with MGS.
Like beefing up the News/Review sections there... problem is, MGS already has a forum.
So the IMG forum should stay separate.

I'd still stick with option 3 or a standalone IMG forum website.

[Frigidman™]

I had mentioned a few times internally that merging IMG into MGS would bring those two entities together better (and also help drive sales with extra news/reviews content and forum traffic haha). Merge as in write new sections and tools, and convert/import the old article content into the new framework.

For the longest time, I've wanted to merge the IMG Forums into the MGS ones because maintaining two separate installs of IPB is a mess, especially when we want to do a big upgrade on them (like going to 3.4 from 3.3). The two site's forums are both running on the same core engine, with just some changes with how accounts are handled (for shopper security).

The MGS forums are absolutely dead because everyone comes here to talk mac games instead. Which is kind of silly speaking from a business standpoint. I would figure a store would want to encapsulate as many target users into one service, than have them spread out. But speaking from a user standpoint, and community, its nicer to have things separated without the overbearing 'big bertha' trying to sell you stuff.

So its a hard call.

I definitely would hate to see the IMG "community" (forums) vanish though. Those should continue to exist somehow, somewhere, in full. As the wealth and history of information buried in these forum tables, is immense.

PS: I wont miss the loss of MGF. I wrote that back in '99 lol... and not much has changed since! Stale old useless site.

[johntravers]

Frigidman™, on 22 November 2014 - 08:03 AM, said:

I had mentioned a few times internally that merging IMG into MGS would bring those two entities together better (and also help drive sales with extra news/reviews content and forum traffic haha). Merge as in write new sections and tools, and convert/import the old article content into the new framework.

For the longest time, I've wanted to merge the IMG Forums into the MGS ones because maintaining two separate installs of IPB is a mess, especially when we want to do a big upgrade on them (like going to 3.4 from 3.3). The two site's forums are both running on the same core engine, with just some changes with how accounts are handled (for shopper security).

The MGS forums are absolutely dead because everyone comes here to talk mac games instead. Which is kind of silly speaking from a business standpoint. I would figure a store would want to encapsulate as many target users into one service, than have them spread out. But speaking from a user standpoint, and community, its nicer to have things separated without the overbearing 'big bertha' trying to sell you stuff.

So its a hard call.

I definitely would hate to see the IMG "community" (forums) vanish though. Those should continue to exist somehow, somewhere, in full. As the wealth and history of information buried in these forum tables, is immense.

PS: I wont miss the loss of MGF. I wrote that back in '99 lol... and not much has changed since! Stale old useless site.

guess it makes sense, daft to run two different forums. i hope you still keep the name, its been around so long.

[the Battle Cat]

Sad news which ironically comes at a time when I am completely awash in Mac games for the first time in ever.  It seems a no brainer that if everyone comes to this forum and few to the MGS forum that this should be the forum of choice when downsizing.  Added is the fact that this forum has a searchable database of over a decade of gaming and technical experts, deleting the forum sounds almost criminal.  In addition, I've found some of the best people I've ever met online here on these forums.  This is a real community of actively engaged gamers.  It's a fun and friendly place, a genuine rarity in a sea of online flame pits, Please don't chuck it.

[BifBologna]

I, admittedly, don't go to the IMG proper website much anymore. The IMG forum, however, is one of the few places I visit multiple times daily. It would be nice to see IMG survive in some form, maybe option 3 as others have suggested, but I would only be slightly saddened by it's loss. It would be soul crushing, on the other hand, to see these forums disappear, even though I'm only a bit player here.