GameStar

Last updated

GameStar
GameStar Logo.svg
Editor-in-chiefHeiko Klinge
Former editorsJochen Gebauer
Michael Trier
Gunnar Lott
Circulation 63.189 (01/2015) [1]
Publisher Webedia
FounderJörg Langer
FoundedSeptember 1997
CountryGermany
LanguageGerman, English (US division)
Website gamestar.de
gamestar.com
OCLC 315108087

GameStar is a monthly-released PC gaming magazine in Germany. It is the best-selling German-language magazine focused on PC gaming and it also hosts the largest video gaming-related portal in the German-speaking internet.

Contents

GameStar.de is the largest PC gaming web portal in the German-speaking internet and one of the largest web portals in the entirety of the German-speaking internet. [2] The magazine also comes with a DVD, which features Demos, Mods, video-reviews as well as a full retail version of a videogame. [3]

Content

GameStar has been in published in various versions with different features. This includes the magazine version (which does not include any DVDs and is thus cheaper), a "normal" edition, which includes one DVD, and a XL Version, which contains 2 DVDs. The magazine for subscribers has less advertisement and shows a larger front-page picture. Until mid-2005 a CD-only version was also available, but it was decided that DVD-readers in Computers had become widespread enough, and so the CD-version was deemed unnecessary. Instead the XL version appeared for the first time. [3]

GameStar also hosts a large internet forum, the GSPB (GameStar Pinboard). It is one of largest internet forums in the German-speaking internet. [4]

History and editorship

GameStar was founded by Charles Glimm, Jörg Langer und Toni Schwaiger with the IDG Entertainment Media GmbH as publisher and debuted in September 1997, with Jörg Langer as editor-in-chief. [5] [6]

The new magazine soon gained a lot of popularity. By the fourth quarter of 1999 it sold about 333,000 issues per month, in 2000 it overtook competitor PC Games as the largest German language videogames magazine in Europe. [7]

The original logo of GameStar Gamestar com.png
The original logo of GameStar

IDG also started GameStar sister magazines in Italy, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic [8] and the United States. The US version was, quite differently from the rest, positioned as a magazine for adults, about PC and console games, similar to inCite. However they all folded after a few months due to disappointing sales. The only long term launch was achieved in Hungary. In 2005, GameStar spawned a sister magazine called /GameStar/dev which is targeted at European Game Developers. GameStar also has a sister magazine named GamePro , which focuses on console games. Incidentally its headquarters are right next-door to the GameStar office. [9] [10]

In April 2015 GameStar and its sister magazine GamePro were sold by IDG to the French publisher Webedia. [11]

Jörg Langer was succeeded by Gunnar Lott as editor-in-chief, followed by Michael Trier on 1 December 2007. As of June 2016, editor-in-Chief is Heiko Klinge. [12] [13]

GameStar also held a popular known E-Sports-League, the GameStar Clanliga, featuring games such a Warcraft III , Counter-Strike as well as Tactical Ops . [14]

Sales and popularity

After it launched, GameStar was able to steadily gain in popularity. By the fourth quarter of 1999, it had sold about 331.535 issues per month and in 2000 it overtook its competitor PC Games as the largest German-language PC game magazine in Europe. [7] Since then, GameStar has kept the spot as the best-selling German-language PC gaming-focused magazine in Europe. [6] [1]

Like the whole print market, GameStar was affected by diminishing sales. In 2008, the average monthly circulation was 250,000 copies, but by January 2015 sold issues per month had dropped to 63,189. Despite the drop, GameStar remains the highest-selling German -language PC gaming-focused magazine in Europe. [1] [15]

Related Research Articles

PC World is a global computer magazine published monthly by IDG. Since 2013, it has been an online-only publication.

The Panasonic M2 is a video game console platform developed by 3DO and then sold to Matsushita, a company known outside Japan by the brand Panasonic. Initially announced as a peripheral chip for the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, it was later unveiled as a standalone console. The console was cancelled in 1997, but the M2 technology was incorporated into other devices.

<i>GamePro</i> American video game magazine

GamePro was an American multiplatform video game magazine media company that published online and print content covering the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software. The magazine featured content on various video game consoles, personal computers and mobile devices. GamePro Media properties included GamePro magazine and their website. The company was also a part subsidiary of the privately held International Data Group (IDG), a media, events and research technology group. The magazine and its parent publication printing the magazine went defunct in 2011, but is outlasted by Gamepro.com.

<i>Star Wars: Rebel Assault</i> 1993 video game

Star Wars: Rebel Assault is a rail shooter video game developed and published by LucasArts for DOS, Macintosh, Sega CD and 3DO Interactive Multiplayer systems, set in the Star Wars universe. Released in 1993, it is the first CD-ROM-only game to be published by LucasArts. The game's story focuses on a young pilot called Rookie One as they are trained by, and subsequently fights for, the Rebel Alliance in the Galactic Civil War.

<i>FIFA 2000</i> 1999 video game

FIFA 2000 is a football simulation video game developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts. It was the seventh game in the main FIFA series. The game was released for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation. A version was also released for the Game Boy Color, developed by Tiertex Design Studios and published by THQ.

<i>Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom</i> 1988 video game

Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom is the fifth scenario in the Wizardry series of role-playing video games. It was published in 1988 by Sir-Tech for the Commodore 64, Apple II, and IBM PC compatibles. A port for the Super Famicom and FM Towns was later developed and published by ASCII Entertainment in Japan. Wizardry V was released in the US for the Super NES by Capcom in 1993, and subsequently re-released for the Satellaview subsystem under the name BS Wizardry 5.

<i>Mad Dog McCree</i> 1990 Western-themed arcade video game

Mad Dog McCree is the first live-action laserdisc video game released by American Laser Games. It originally appeared as an arcade game in 1990.

<i>F-1 World Grand Prix</i> 1998 video game

F-1 World Grand Prix, developed by Paradigm Entertainment, is a Formula One racing game/sim first released in 1998 for the Nintendo 64 game console and to later platforms including the Sega Dreamcast, Microsoft Windows, Sony PlayStation, and Game Boy Color. The Nintendo 64 version is based on the 1997 Formula One season, featuring each of the 17 circuits from the season and all 22 drivers, with the exceptions of Jacques Villeneuve and the MasterCard Lola team.

Tech Advisor, previously known as PC Advisor, is a consumer tech website and digital magazine published by Foundry, a subsidiary of IDG Inc, which also produces Macworld, PCWorld and TechHive. IDG Inc was acquired by Blackstone in 2021.

<i>Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire</i> 1994 video game

Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire is the fourth in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series of turn-based strategy games produced by Koei and based on the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire was the last game in the series to be released on the PC in the United States until Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI. This was also the last Romance of the Three Kingdoms game to be released on the SNES.

<i>Wild Metal Country</i> 1999 video game

Wild Metal Country is an action video game developed by DMA Design. The game was published by Gremlin Interactive and released for Microsoft Windows in May 1999. A Dreamcast port, known as Wild Metal, was released in February 2000 by Rockstar Games, which later also re-released the Windows version.

<i>Disneys Aladdin in Nasiras Revenge</i> 2000 video game

Disney's Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge is a platform game based on the Aladdin franchise which was developed for the PlayStation and PC by Argonaut Games and distributed by Disney Interactive in 2000. In the game, Aladdin, Abu and Jasmine fight against Jafar's sister Nasira who wants to bring him back to life. Nasira's Revenge received generally average reviews.

<i>Mob Rule</i> 1999 video game

Mob Rule is a real-time strategy video game for Microsoft Windows released in 1999 by Simon & Schuster and 3Studio. It is the successor to the 1997 video game Constructor. The goal of the game is to construct buildings and fight enemy teams in a Mafia-themed background. It was re-released on GOG.com in 2010 for Windows and in 2013 for MacOS.

<i>PC Games</i> German PC game magazine

PC Games is a monthly-released PC gaming magazine published by the Computec Media GmbH in Germany.

<i>Buggy</i> (video game) 1998 video game

Buggy is a racing game developed and published by Gremlin Interactive in 1998, and published in North America by Fox Interactive. The game was released in North America as Team Losi RC Racer due to it having a license from RC car manufacturer/racing team Team Losi.

<i>Eliminator</i> (1998 video game) 1998 video game

Eliminator is a shooter game developed by Magenta Software and published by Psygnosis for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows in 1998–1999.

<i>Enemy Infestation</i> 1998 video game

Enemy Infestation is a strategy video game developed by Micro Forté and published by Ripcord Games for Microsoft Windows in 1998.

<i>Rival Realms</i> 1998 video game

Rival Realms is a strategy video game developed by Activ Pub Studios for Microsoft Windows in 1998–1999.

References

  1. 1 2 3 IVW statistics (database), GameStar for IV/1997 – IV/2015
  2. ↑ "AGOF digital facts: website statistics February 2016" (PDF). agof.de. Arbeitsgemeinschaft Online Forschung  [ de ]. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  3. 1 2 "GameStar archive" (in German). Gamestar.de. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  4. ↑ "Big-Boards ranking". Archived from the original on 2 May 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ↑ "GameStar history" (in German). Gamestar.de. 29 August 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  6. 1 2 "IDG press release: IDG Launches GameStar Magazine In Germany". International Data Group (IDG). Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  7. 1 2 IVW statistics (database), GameStar for IV/1997 – IV/2000
  8. ↑ ".:: GameStar ::". 15 June 2006. Archived from the original on 15 June 2006. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  9. ↑ Gunnar Lott (5 September 2012). "German GamePro history". GamePro (in German). GamePro.de. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  10. ↑ "/GameStar/dev launch" (in German). PCWelt.de. 15 July 2005. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  11. ↑ Peter Steinlechner. "GameStar and GamePro sold to Webedia" (in German). Golem.de  [ de ]. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  12. ↑ Vanessa Goebel. "IDG: Gunnar Lott neuer Director of Online and New Business" (in German). dnv – der neue vertrieb. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  13. ↑ "New editor in chief" (in German). Gamestar.de. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  14. ↑ Sebastian Stange (17 July 2015). "GameStar Clan League overview" (in German). Gamestar.de. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  15. ↑ IDG Communications Media AG, GameStar Mediadaten 2009 , 1 October 2008 (German)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.