SEE ALSO: Ziff CEO's Memo

Tuesday marked a monumental if somewhat sad day for Ziff Davis Media. The venerable tech publisher announced the sale of its collection of gaming sites under the 1UP Digital Network umbrella to Hearst’s Ugo Entertainment and shuttered the print version of Electronic Gaming Monthly.

It’s worth noting that with the close of EGM, Ziff effectively exits the business of publishing printed magazines. A little more than a month ago, Ziff also ceased the print version of PC Magazine, shifting the brand online.

Ziff—which since the early 2000s has faced several financial hurdles, including bankruptcy protection—has undergone a striking transformation in recent years from a longstanding and well-regarded tech print publisher to a growing e-media operation. Its history spans several decades and its portfolio of magazines included Computer Shopper, PC Week, Popular Electronics, eWeek and Baseline (the last two now published by Ziff Davis Enterprise, which until the June 2007 sale existed under Ziff Davis Media’s enterprise group).

In these (insert expletive here) economic times, it’s no wonder publishers like Ziff are slimming their portfolios and shifting focus to their core brands. We’ll see more of the same in weeks and months to come. More print magazines, sadly, will disappear.