Computer Games Magazine

Computer Games Magazine was a monthly computer and console gaming print magazine, founded in October 1988 as the United Kingdom publication Games International. During its history, it was known variously as Strategy Plus (October 1990, Issue 1[2]) and Computer Games Strategy Plus,[3] but changed its name to Computer Games Magazine after its purchase by theGlobe.com.[4] When it closed down in April 2007, it held the record for the second-longest-running print magazine dedicated exclusively to computer games with 197 issues, behind only Computer Gaming World.[3] In 1998 and 2000, it was the United States' third-largest magazine in this field.[5][6]

Not to be confused with Computer and Video Games or Computer Games.
Computer Games Magazine
A sample issue of Computer Games Magazine.
CategoriesComputer and video game console magazine
FrequencyMonthly
PublishertheGlobe.com
First issueOctober 1988 (as Games International);[1] October 1990 (as Strategy Plus[2])
Final issueApril 2007 (Issue 197)
CountryUnited States
Based inFort Lauderdale, Florida

History

The magazine's original editor-in-chief, Brian Walker, sold Strategy Plus to the United States retail chain Chips & Bits in 1991. Based in Vermont and owned by Tina and Yale Brozen, Chips & Bits retitled Strategy Plus to Computer Games Strategy Plus after the purchase.[4] Its circulation rose to around 130,000 monthly copies by the mid-1990s.[7] By 1998, Computer Games Strategy Plus was the United States' third-largest computer game magazine, with a circulation of 184,299. According to editor-in-chief Steve Bauman, this number rose to 220,000 in 1999.[5] Chips & Bits was purchased by theGlobe.com in January 2000,[8] alongside Computer Games Strategy Plus and its publishing division, Strategy Plus, Inc.[6]

By March 2000, Computer Games' circulation had reached 240,000 copies; roughly 300,000 units of each issue were printed per month. It remained the United States' third-biggest computer game magazine by that date, according to Yale Brozen, and the publication's Ed Mitchell estimated that it was Vermont's largest magazine in any field. Its official website, cdmag.com, averaged one million unique visits per month by early 2000.[6] The magazine experienced major growth during 2000: tracking firm BPA International recorded its average circulation from July-December as 374,576 copies, while the December issue rose to 450,515. Computer Games Magazine was subsequently redesigned, starting from its June 2001 issue.[9]

Computer Games Magazine launched a sister publication, MMO Games Magazine, in 2006.[10] On March 13, 2007, both publications were shut down by theGlobe.com, after that company was hit with a multimillion-dollar judgement in a lawsuit resulting from the e-mail spam of MySpace.[3]

References
  1. "Games International (All Issues)". Internet Archive. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  2. "Strategy Plus: All Issues". Internet Archive. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  3. Dobson, Jason; Gifford, Kevin (March 13, 2007). "Report:Computer Games Magazine, Massive Shut Down". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on March 15, 2007.
  4. Gish, Harrison (August 16, 2012). "Computer Games Magazine". In Wolf, Mark J. P. (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Video Games: The Culture, Technology, and Art of Gaming. Vol. 1. ABC-CLIO. pp. 131, 132. ISBN 031337936X.
  5. Asher, Mark (March 10, 1999). "Imagine Shuts Down PC Games". CNET Gamecenter. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000.
  6. Vaughan-Hughes, Pip (March 2000). "Games People Play". Business People Magazine. Archived from the original on April 14, 2000.
  7. Bauman, Steve (November 2000). "A Decade of Gaming". Computer Games Magazine (120): 56–58, 60, 62, 66, 68, 70–76.
  8. Asher, Mark (January 18, 2000). "Theglobe.com Buys Chips & Bits". CNET Gamecenter. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
  9. "Computer Games Magazine unveils new look" (Press release). New York City: Computer Games Magazine. April 30, 2001. Archived from the original on October 24, 2003. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
  10. Maragos, Nich (March 17, 2006). "Computer Games To Launch MMO-Themed U.S. Print Magazine". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on July 31, 2007.
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