Electronic Gaming Monthly Compendium Finally Breaks Its Silence After $1.8 Million Kickstarter Delay

EGM Media issues a major production update on its $1.8M Kickstarter hardcover compendium, resolving printer cost disputes with a target print window of October 16.

The Electronic Gaming Monthly Compendium has finally received a substantial production update after months of silence left backers wondering whether their enormous celebration of videogame-magazine history had wandered into the same dimension as unreleased 32X games.

The Kickstarter raised almost $1.8 million from 21,947 supporters for a hardcover collection combining material from Electronic Gaming Monthly with new commentary and historical material. A digital edition arrived previously, but the physical book — originally expected much earlier — missed another promised shipping target in September.

EGM Media now says a dispute over increased printing costs caused the latest delay. According to its update, the company has paid the additional amount requested by its original printer rather than moving production elsewhere, and the next available print window is October 16. That date is also when EGM says it will provide its next progress update.

Backers who no longer wish to wait can request refunds through Kickstarter messages. EGM has accepted responsibility for both the delays and poor communication, while specifically asking disappointed supporters not to direct criticism at editorial staff Josh Harmon and Mollie Patterson, who it says were not responsible for printing decisions.

The project is therefore moving again, but after repeated missed targets, October 16 has become less a date on the calendar and more a boss encounter.