But, Electronic Gaming Monthly is dead...isn't it?  Yes, indeed it was.  It was, to me, one of the most enjoyable gaming magazines in print and I held a subscription to it for the better part of a decade.  When it was announced nearly a year ago that EGM was being shelved, I was disappointed, to say the last.

There were some rumblings a while ago of the original founder of the magazine, Steve Harris, being on a mission to start up EGM once again, and that left a spark of hope in those of us who made that magazine a part of our gaming experience for quite a long time.  But, if he did start the magazine up again, would it be the same without the writers, editors and reviewers that we've come to know and love?  It probably wouldn't be.

Lucky for us, it seems at least two of the former EGM staff will be back. Former editor-in-chief Dan "Shoe" Hsu - who is now heading up Bitmob - revealed that he and Demian Linn will be joining EGM as it begins its second rise to glory (at least, in my mind).

According to Shoe himself, "He [Steve Harris] approached us about possibly working together on some content, and after a few secret meetings and emails, we signed a deal. So we're back with EGM...back with the guy who started it all, which we then took over, and left only to come back to. In a way."

Here's the full press release:

DAN "SHOE" HSU AND DEMIAN LINN JOIN EGM

Former Editors of EGM and 1UP Return to the Magazine They Guided For Nearly a Decade

December 1, 2009 - Beverly Hills, CA - Dan "Shoe" Hsu and Demian Linn, gaming journalism veterans and founders of the popular gaming commentary website Bitmob.com, have announced that they will bring their editorial skills back to the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine.

"I am thrilled to see Dan and Demian on board the new EGM," said Steve Harris, Publisher of the new Electronic Gaming Monthly. "Both of these journalists have a keen understanding of the industry they report on, and that exceptional insight is something I know readers will value. Both did a fantastic job of retaining and building upon EGM's independent voice after I left the magazine, and Dan's role as editor in particular was instrumental in the publication's rise to its leading position in the industry."

Both will continue to operate their successful Bitmob.com website while overseeing the reporting and writing of news and other content for EGM's network of properties (including EGMNOW and EGM[i]: The Digital Magazine).

Dan Hsu has been covering the gaming industry for over 13 years, starting as Associate Editor of the original EGM, then moving on to Editor-in-Chief of Gamers.com, Editor-in-Chief of EGM, and Editorial Director of the 1UP Network before co-founding Bitmob.com.

Demian Linn's background as both a reviewer and reporter (in print and video) makes him ideally suited for the integrated platform of the new EGM and EGM[i]: The Digital Magazine. Linn also has 13 years experience in the industry, having written for The Official PlayStation Magazine, Xbox Nation, Detroit Free Press, Complex Magazine, Smart Business, and FHM. Most recently, he was the Reviews Editor at the original EGM and the Executive Producer of GameVideos.com and "The 1UP Show" and is now a co-founder at Bitmob.com.

"This is a great opportunity to be an important part of the evolution of Electronic Gaming Monthly," Hsu said. "Steve Harris launched EGM with a clear understanding that it would speak to readers in an uncompromising fashion. It is that philosophy that I embraced during my tenure as Editor-In-Chief and one that I will continue to employ going forward in this new position."

"The integration of publishing formats provides a great opportunity to speak to EGM's readers in new ways," explained Linn. "The ability to use technology to take readers deeper into the news and events that shape the gaming industry, using video, audio, and other digital extensions, is a key element that attracted Dan and I to the new EGM - along with a commitment to put the reader first and deliver the same type of insightful information people have come to expect from EGM for more than 20 years."

Both Hsu and Linn will oversee and contribute to EGM using a staff of industry veterans that includes Greg Ford, Aaron Thomas, Jason Wilson, Michael Donahoe, and Brett Bates - all members of the Bitmob.com team. "Dan and Demian have assembled a terrific staff comprised of some of the best names in gaming journalism," said Harris. "Their collective efforts for EGM will be complementary to Bitmob.com, which will continue as an important voice for the gaming community. We hope to build upon our relationship with Bitmob and bring even more synergies to our respective endeavors in the future."