In 2001, Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) released a magazine issue featuring artwork from Yoshitaka Amano for Final Fantasy X. The cover became one of the most memorable in the magazine's run, though its path to readers' hands involved unexpected twists. The issue represented a rare collaboration between a major gaming publication and a franchise's signature artist, arriving at a time when print magazines dominated how players discovered and learned about upcoming releases.
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Gaming magazines in the early 2000s
The early 2000s marked a turning point for console gaming. The PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, and Dreamcast pushed boundaries in graphics, narrative scope, and technical ambition. Print publications served as the primary way fans accessed previews, reviews, and behind-the-scenes details. EGM stood among the most prominent outlets delivering this coverage to readers hungry for information about what was coming next.
Final Fantasy VII had transformed the franchise into a global phenomenon, and anticipation for Final Fantasy X ran high. A visually distinctive cover could draw attention and drive newsstand sales in a competitive magazine market.
Getting Amano to create original art
Editor-in-chief Dan "Shoe" Hsu wanted something beyond standard promotional imagery: a commissioned painting by Amano himself. The plan required approval from SquareSoft and a $10,000 budget, a substantial investment for magazine cover art. Publisher ZiffDavis greenlit the project despite the cost.
Former EGM staffer James Mielke managed the cover's production. Amano's piece featured gold leaf, which created reproduction challenges for the printing process. The final version maintained a unique visual quality, with protagonists Tidus and Yuna rendered in Amano's signature ethereal style.
How the cover reached more readers than planned
The original plan called for the Amano cover to appear on just 25 percent of newsstand copies, with subscribers receiving a different Yuna-focused design. This mirrored the variant cover tactics comic publishers used throughout the 1990s. A production mixup changed everything: the Amano version ended up distributed far more widely, appearing in both newsstand and subscriber copies without a clear pattern.
Some subscribers felt shortchanged by missing what was supposed to be an exclusive variant, but the overall reception proved enthusiastic. The wider-than-intended availability helped the issue achieve strong sales numbers, ranking among EGM's best-performing editions. The cover's visual impact and unexpected scarcity-turned-availability generated discussion across gaming media.
What happened after the cover
The success led EGM to commission Amano again two years later for a "Final Fantasy Everything" issue. Print magazines faced mounting pressure throughout the 2000s as digital coverage expanded. EGM's print edition ended in 2009, followed by the closure of its online counterpart 1UP.com in 2013. The magazine's legacy persisted: a crowdfunded anthology project raised $1.7 million, demonstrating continued interest in EGM's history and editorial approach.
Amano has maintained his work on variant covers, including collaborations with DC Comics, keeping the collectible cover art tradition alive. For EGM, the Final Fantasy X cover captured a moment when print magazines could deliver something digital platforms couldn't easily replicate: a physical artifact combining editorial vision, commissioned art, and the thrill of discovery.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why is the Final Fantasy X EGM cover considered iconic?
The cover featured commissioned artwork by Yoshitaka Amano, complete with gold leaf, depicting Tidus and Yuna. A production error resulted in wider distribution than planned, making it one of EGM's most talked-about issues.
Who created the cover for EGM's Final Fantasy X issue?
Yoshitaka Amano, the longtime illustrator for the Final Fantasy series, painted the original artwork for the cover.
How much did the cover cost to produce?
The commission cost roughly $10,000, far exceeding typical magazine cover budgets during that period.
Was the Amano cover originally supposed to be rare?
Yes, the plan called for it to appear on only 25 percent of newsstand copies, but a distribution error resulted in much broader availability.
Does Yoshitaka Amano still create artwork for magazines or comics?
Yes, Amano continues producing variant covers for various publishers, including DC Comics and other collectible projects.
When did EGM end its print publication?
EGM's print edition concluded in 2009, with its digital site, 1UP.com, shutting down in 2013.
Did the cover impact EGM's sales?
Yes, the issue sold exceptionally well, ranking among EGM's most successful editions in terms of circulation.
