Prima Games Closing Shop in 2019

[Deltron]

Strategy guide maker Prima Games is shutting down

Prima Games is closing its doors, according to reports from Publishers Lunch and EGM. The gaming strategy guide imprint of publishing company DK will end operations by spring 2019.

An internal memo from DK CEO Ian Hudson announced the impending shutdown, as reported by Publishers Weekly.

“During a year-long extensive review, many new ways were explored to diversify Prima Games publishing,” Hudson wrote. “However, the dynamics for us of this fast-paced landscape have continued to prove difficult.

“This enormously dedicated team has made every effort to turn the business around, but challenging market conditions have unfortunately worked against them.”

Prima Games, which has offices in Roseville, California, as well as New York City and Indianapolis, will begin the closure starting this month. EGM reports that Roseville will close first sometime in the coming weeks. New York will follow, while the Indianapolis location is expected to be the last to go, likely in March 2019.

We reached out to DK to confirm that Prima Games is on its way out, although a licensing manager with the company replied to another strategy game outlet on Twitter that also suggests the closure.

Founders Rusel DeMaria and Ben Dominitz opened Prima Games in 1990, launching books containing “games secrets” for systems like the Game Boy and Sega Genesis. Prima expanded to focus on strategies for specific games over the years, gaining authority among players for their wide array of guides. Prima Games went on to combine with BradyGames in 2015 after publishers Penguin and Random House merged in 2013.

Bought mad guides from them and Brady games back in the day...despite GameFAQs/the internet.

 

[Kamikaze Revy]

The product they were providing can be found everywhere online for free.
They had the opportunity to shift gears and be the go-to YouTube channel for gaming walk-throughs and reviews and then monetize that channel.
Not sure why they expected things to go any different for them than it did.

 

[Morose Polymath]

Power Pyx got this lane in a cobra clutch

 

[Egomaniacal1]

Wow, last of a dying era. Thanks Prima for getting me thru many a Final Fantasy game back in the day.

 

[Animal House]

Still got my Dragon Dogma and Panzer Dragon Orta guidebook. Damn shame

 

[Thatrogueassdiaz]

End of an era. I had a few for ocarina of Time back in 98. The art inside is what made it so dope. I am forever grateful for their contribution to the gaming world.

 

[Professor K.]

End of an era. I had a few for ocarina of Time back in 98. The art inside is what made it so dope. I am forever grateful for their contribution to the gaming world.

Thought I knew what I was doing and tried to beat the Fire Temple without the guide. Ended up using a key on the wrong door and had no backup save.

I could quote you every paragraph in the book verbatim when Majora's Mask dropped

 

[the_FUTURE]

Thought I knew what I was doing and tried to beat the Fire Temple without the guide. Ended up using a key on the wrong door and had no backup save.

I could quote you every paragraph in the book verbatim when Majora's Mask dropped

Yoooooo, some of that bs in OOT made me all the way salty. There's shyt that can happen in that game that could accidentally force you to restart the whole game if you're not careful.

 

[Professor K.]

Yoooooo, some of that bs in OOT made me all the way salty. There's shyt that can happen in that game that could accidentally force you to restart the whole game if you're not careful.

I never even beat the game because of this. The thought of having to go all the way back through Jabu's Jabu's belly just made kid me say fukk it

 

[Thatrogueassdiaz]

Thought I knew what I was doing and tried to beat the Fire Temple without the guide. Ended up using a key on the wrong door and had no backup save.

I could quote you every paragraph in the book verbatim when Majora's Mask dropped

I had the holographic limited edition ocarina of Time prima strategy guide that came with the ebgames preorder of the ocarine of time gold cartidge. God bless you, mom