Secret Service (magazine)

Last updated
Secret Service
Secret Service November 1994 Cover.jpg
November 1994 cover
CategoriesGame magazine
FrequencyMonthly
PublisherProScript
Founded1993
First issue16 March 1993
Final issueNovember 2001
Country Poland
Based in Warsaw
Language Polish
ISSN 1230-7726

Secret Service was a Polish monthly magazine for gaming and consoles, published by ProScript publishing house from 1993 to 2001. The first issue of the magazine was released on March 16, 1993. The founders of the magazine were Marcin Przasnyski and Waldemar Nowak, who had previously worked for Top Secret . The magazine was discontinued after 95 issues but was briefly reactivated in 2014 and published 2 issues.

Contents

History

Secret Service was the first magazine in Poland to have a CD.

The last issue of Secret Service (No. 95) was released in November 2001 and on December 31, 2001, a message appeared on the magazine's official website, indicating that the magazine was being suspended. A few days later the staff stated that the information was a result of their server being hacked. They stated that the only reason for the "confusion" was technical problems. [1] Issue 96 (12/2001) was completed and sent to the printers but was never printed.

Attempts to reactivate the magazine

In July 2002, a group of Secret Service readers established Electronic magazine SS-NG which transformed itself from a follower of the tradition of Secret Service to a standalone "E-zine". On August 29, the 2005 editor-in-chief of SS-NG informed the readers of e-zine about the end of activities and publications of the magazine.

On June 24, 2014, reactivation of Secret Service was announced. On July 15, a crowdfunding campaign began with the goal of zl  93,000 being reached in just 20 hours. [2] [3] Within a month, 284,200 PLN was collected. The first reactivated issue (97) was published on 30 September 2014 with 50,000 copies. [4] The second and last issue appeared at the beginning of December, as the publisher and the owner of the rights to the title could not reach an agreement. In its place, the publisher announced the release of a new monthly magazine, Pixel , which first issue went on sale in late January 2015.

Related Research Articles

<i>Fenix</i> (magazine) Polish sci-fi magazine (1990-2001, 2018-)

Fenix was a Polish science fiction magazine published from 1990 to 2001. It was the first privately owned magazine in the country. It was created by Jarosław Grzędowicz, Krzysztof Sokołowski, Rafał A. Ziemkiewicz, Andrzej Łaski and Dariusz Zientalak jr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Techland</span> Polish video game developer and publisher

Techland S.A. is a Polish video game developer and publisher founded in 1991 by Paweł Marchewka. It developed Call of Juarez (2006) and its prequel Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood (2009), as well as Dead Island (2011) and Dying Light (2015). The company is headquartered in Wrocław in western Poland and has offices in Wrocław and Warsaw.

<i>Gothic II</i> 2002 video game

Gothic II is an action role-playing video game by German developer Piranha Bytes and the sequel to Gothic. It was released for Microsoft Windows on 29 November 2002 in Germany and in North America on 28 October 2003. A Nintendo Switch port titled Gothic II Complete Classic was released worldwide on 29 November 2023.

<i>Kajko and Kokosz</i> Polish comic book series by Janusz Christa

Kajko and Kokosz or Kayko and Kokosh is a Polish comic book series by Janusz Christa that debuted in Poland in 1972 and was published primarily until 1992. Mixing history and fantasy tropes it is centered on light-hearted and often comedic adventures of two Slavic warriors named Kajko and Kokosz, loosely resembling both Asterix and Obelix, as well as two personalities from Christa's earlier series on Kajtek i Koko. The series consists of 20 comic albums, as well as a number of shorter stories published in various magazines. In 2006, a short 3D animated movie was made.

Magia i Miecz was the first RPG-oriented magazine in Poland. Started in 1993, it ceased publishing in 2002 after 103 issues. The publisher was Wydawnictwo MAG. Tomasz Kołodziejczak served as the editor of the magazine.

The Shadow of Zorro is a video game based on the character Zorro for PlayStation 2 and Windows. The game was published in North America by Dreamcatcher Entertainment.

<i>The Comic Reader</i> Comics news fanzine

The Comic Reader (TCR) was a comics news-fanzine published from 1961 to 1984. Debuting in the pre-direct market era, TCR was the first regularly published comics industry news fanzine, and was able to secure many contacts from within the ranks of the larger publishers. As TCR increased in popularity and influence, it was able to attract professional artist to illustrate the covers. TCR also proved to be a launching pad for aspiring comic book creators, many of whom published work in the fanzine as amateurs. Contributors from the world of fandom included founding editor Jerry Bails, key editor Paul Levitz, Paul Kupperberg, Tony Isabella, Byron Preiss, Neal Pozner, Don Rosa, Carl Gafford, and Doug Hazlewood.

<i>Tajemnica Statuetki</i> 1993 video game

Tajemnica Statuetki is a Polish-language adventure game developed and published by Metropolis Software House for DOS-based computers in 1993. While it was never released in English, it is known in the English-speaking world as The Mystery of the Statuette. The game was conceived by a team led by Adrian Chmielarz, who used photographs taken in France as static screens within the game. The first title in the adventure game genre that was produced in Poland, its plot revolves around a fictional Interpol agent named John Pollack trying to solve a mystery associated with the thefts of ancient artifacts around the world.

<i>Witchfire</i> Upcoming video game

Witchfire is an upcoming first-person shooter video game developed and published by The Astronauts. The game was released for Windows PC in early access in September 2023.

Gry-Online is a group of Polish websites devoted to computer games and electronic entertainment. Founded by Mariusz Klamra, Wojciech Antonowicz and Rafał Swaczyna, the group has grown to include GRYOnline.pl, TVGry.pl, Gameplay.pl, and Gamepressure. In 2017, the German branch of the French publisher Webedia Group bought Gry-OnLine from Empik, thereby entering the Polish market.

CD-Action is a Polish magazine devoted to video games. It was founded in 1996 and published in Wrocław. The magazine was published in a cycle that was not exactly monthly, as subsequent issues of the magazine were published every 28 days. As a result, thirteen issues were released annually. In January 2022, the magazine switched to a quarterly publication cycle. The typical volume of an issue is 124 pages. From December 2006 to July 2011, it was published only in a version with one double-layer DVD. From August 2011 to July 2018, two DVD9 discs were added in a cardboard packaging. In August 2018, the publishing house decided to stop adding a physical medium, replacing it with a scratch card with a code.

<i>Świrus</i> 1996 video game

Świrus is a 1996 Polish adventure video game developed by Mirage and published by Vochozka Trading, who also translated the game into Czech. Some years after its original release the game was released as a free download.

<i>Świat Gier Komputerowych</i> Polish video game magazine

Świat Gier Komputerowych was a Polish video gaming magazine. Its first issue was released on 14 December 1992 as an addition to the Amiga magazine Amigowiec. The permanent editorial team consisted of about 15 people. The first editor-in-chief was Mirosław Domosud, but he was replaced by Piotr Pieńkowski, who held this position until the paper was discontinued. It was intended mainly for older players, written in a more formal style than competitors such as Top Secret and CD-Action. In February 1997, the 50th issue was issued, while April 2001 saw the hundredth issue be published. The magazine celebrated its tenth anniversary in February 2003, being the only such magazine on the market to reach this milestone. The last issue appeared in July 2003 as a double. The decision was due to the unsatisfactory sales of the magazine, around 50,000 copies per month. After its dissolution, an attempt was made to revive the paper as Nowy Świat Gier Komputerowych, however this only lasted for two months.

<i>Franko: The Crazy Revenge</i> 1994 video game

Franko: The Crazy Revenge is a side-scrolling beat 'em up computer game developed by the Polish Szczecin-based studio World Software for the Amiga in 1994, later ported to MS-DOS compatible operating systems in 1996. It follows the titular Franko causing mayhem on the streets of Szczecin to avenge his fallen friend Alex.

<i>The Guardian of Darkness</i> 1999 video game

The Guardian of Darkness is a French action game developed and published by Cryo Interactive in 1999.

<i>Sołtys</i> (video game) 1995 video game

Sołtys is a Polish point and click adventure game by LK Avalon which was released for MS-DOS on May 23, 1995.

<i>Polanie</i> (video game) 1996 video game

Polanie is a historical real-time strategy video game developed by MDF and published by USER for DOS and Microsoft Windows in 1996. An enhanced CD version was released the following year.

<i>Sabotain: Break the Rules</i> 2004 video game

Sabotain: Break the Rules is a Russian video game developed by Avalon Style Entertainment and published by Akella in November 2004.

Doman: Grzechy Ardana is a side-scrolling Hack and Slash Beat 'em up computer game released by the Polish developer World Software for the Amiga in 1995. Taking on a sword and sorcery theme akin to Conan The Barbarian, it is a spiritual successor to World Software's earlier game Franko: The Crazy Revenge and is based on the artist's Mariusz Pawluk's unpublished short story that is included alongside the game. It ended up being World Software's last release for the Amiga.

Skinny & Franko: Fists of Violence is an action-adventure video game developed by Blue Sunset Games and published by Console Labs S.A. It is a sequel to Franko: The Crazy Revenge.

References

  1. "Secret Service w zawieszeniu - żart czy włamanie?". geekweek.interia.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2022-05-16.
  2. "Secret Service – powrót magazynu ufundowano w mniej niż 24 godziny | GRYOnline.pl". GRY-Online.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2022-05-16.
  3. "Reaktywacja Secret Service: polski rekord crowdfundingu! | CHIP" (in Polish). 2014-08-29. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
  4. "Secret Service – pierwszy numer po latach trafił do sprzedaży | GRYOnline.pl". GRY-Online.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2022-05-16.