Pingame Journal.... Where are you?

He's ok. Jim posted about and has organized the Barry Oursler donations.

I'm one of the original subscribers from day 1. I'm finally losing my patience. It was a good run, but I'm done.

I just recently decided to jump back in last year after being a long time subscriber.
Looks like that may have been a mistake.

Yeah, but I was a subscriber to the Pinball Collectors Quarterly, Pinball Trader, and Gameroom starting around 1980-something. My heart is still with the guys that have been around forever (like me). But, enough is enough....

i don't get it, if he can't make it or ship it, stop taking other peoples money, simple! or at least give your customers some infos.

In Jim's defense, he has had some health issues. Even so, the last couple of years have featured pre-release game reports of games that are already out and show reports that are a year old. Paper issues need to be more than timely as technology becomes more relevant.

I stayed with my subscription because I like to look back, and the old issues were a stamp in time. When the issues don't relate to the date of the issue, relevance disappears. For me, it's sad, but it's past time. I guess a couple of years from now I can Google Pinside posts from 2014 for the same feeling.

Its going to be MARCH 1 soon CALENDAR now?? come on JIMMY

Jim.....hope you're alright my friend. I always love magazine and everything you have done for the hobby. Get well!

Chris

You know guys, I was just thinking about this the other day. The upside to all this is at least I never have to worry about renewing my subscription. At this rate I'm paid up for about the next 10 years...

But seriously, I do hope that everything is OK with Jim. I enjoy hearing him speak at Expo, he seems genuinely into pinball.

He's a good guy that loves pinball. I can't imagine trying to work a full time job, publish a magazine and be a family man while battling cancer. Seems almost overwhelming even healthy...

I have not gotten one.

Jim is pinball and everyone wishes him good health. However an email would suffice. Just needs to say don't worry guys magazines coming. Information beats speculation.

My calendar was waiting for me tonight at home

My calendar was in the mail as well. The month of November is pretty decent.

Got mine in the mail today.

Got my yesterday in the mail.

Its been so long I forget I even subscribed. It doesn't matter to me I hope he is feeling ok.

I wish I had seen this thread before ordering 3 back-issues from the PinGame website a month ago. I hate throwing money away. No magazines, no explanations, no nothing.
Really wanted to see the Family Guy issues...

If you send an email to Jim's assistant (its listed in his website) she should get your money back to you and quickly. I ordered a book through them and did not hear anything, sent the email and was refunded my funds the same day through paypal.

thanks---refund just received (still no explanation).
(I'd have rather he sent the mags, but I must assume that's no longer doable.

I really wish Jim the best and thank him for putting out Pingame for so many years, but maybe he should close the website for the time being. Having said this, I hope his health improves and Pingame lives to see another day.

I agree with you Pismo, I love the magazine and hope it continues but to those that are new to it and his site, I'm sure it is unsettling to order something and then just receive nothing, no confirmation or anything. I really hope everything gets up and running soon, I do miss it.

Im still waiting my calendar. I live in Chile, I know is far, but we are un June!! come on!! Pay a complete year calendar and recieve a half year... so bad.

Well, I have to chime in here. And what I'm about to say is in full knowledge of the fact that Jim's really sick and I have the utmost sympathy and empathy for what he's going through, having had two family members battle cancer (one lost).

I subscribed (foolishly, I now know) to Pingame Journal last month, fully understanding that it was a sporadic publication at best. I emailed Kelly and asked her if they could make the last issue with the calendar my first issue of the 8 I had subscribed to. She emailed me right back and told me that no...back issues were extra. That raised a red flag with me - it seemed like that would be an easy thing for them to do. Send an already printed issue, and you've got 7 left to deliver whenever.

So I came to Pinside and did a little research, found out about Jim's situation. I felt terrible, but also felt like I made a huge mistake in subscribing since I couldn't even get one back issue for my $34. I did what some people suggested and I emailed asking for a refund. Once to Jim, once to Kelly. I heard nothing back, and it's been a while.

I've had to open a dispute with Paypal now in an effort to get my money back. I'm a guy who just wanted a subscription to a magazine that looked pretty cool, and I'm left feeling like I got suckered...and feeling guilty for caring about $34 when the guy who suckered me has cancer. Just an all around shitty experience.

Completely feel the pain of people who lost their money on a recent Pingame Journal subscription (I did too).

As someone who has a son battling cancer (and who finishes treatment soon), I'd just written off the money in my head and hoped they put it to good use with medical expenses, etc.

Not saying that's what everyone should do; That's just how I rationalized the "write-off" in my head.

Hope Jim is able to fully recover and someday get back to doing what he (and we) loved.

Jim is very sick, maybe dying and you are worried about 34$? Cancer is a shitty experience.

You must not have read my post very carefully. Let me know if you need some pictures.

EDIT: Pingame Journal needs to take down the option to buy a subscription on their site. If they're still charging people for subscriptions and know that they can't put an issue out for the foreseeable future, that's a scam by definition.

To make matters worse, Jim just had heart surgery last week. don't have any details past that. It has nothing to do with the cancer (hopefully), but it's just another issue he's having with his health. don't know the outcome of that surgery. just something i heard from the 'vine. frankly i hope it's not true, but i have a feeling it is.

Deleted.

Like people have said about a recent upstart pinball manufacturer; Just call Jim and ask him. His number is listed. Or, email PGJ if you prefer. If I would have went to Expo, I certainly would have asked him about the future of the magazine. Unfortunately, I had to miss the show. Based on the Pinball News and Jared videos, Jim's health seems to be better.

He's a good guy.

I ordered some PGJ back issues earlier this year and it was promptly acknowledged by someone other than Jim. A few months go by, I see some of his new YT videos, so I send an email asking about the order. Same person replies, saying Jim hasn't been heard from for some time but the email will be forwarded to him. I let it ride for a few more months. Then I see the one of his YT vids from Expo and I say to myself, huh? I ask for and promptly receive a refund. I don't get how pulling some back issues is too much to ask for since that's something he advertises. Oh well.

Jim is a good guy, that is why it is more bizarre that things are up in the air and still taking subscriptions. I was surprised no one asked at expo when he had his seminar. I have received two calendars to date in two years. While I understand cancer is hell to go through having lost my Dad to it. An email update from someone who is well enough to attend Expo and give a seminar would be appreciated. No one is in Jims shoes and knows exactly what he is going through and everyone hopes he pulls through. I know the Internet killed print in a lot of circumstances but this is a new age in pinball with lots of news and I was hoping for more than eight calendars. I too would take back issues that I don't have

Calling him gets you a direct answer.

I literally forgot I only got one issue- a calendar this year. Oh well. Life could be worse. Best of luck Jim!

Better than nothing. Only five more years for me before I have to renew again at this rate

Way to go, you must have been the lucky winner of the day.

I got mine today 12/6.

_{Post edited by thepinballworks: I received it.}