The German magazine company Computec Media is launching its first
title in the UK in a move which should shake up the computer games
magazine market.
PlayStation World will launch in January as a glossy games title, with a
strong men’s lifestyle emphasis. Jointly edited by Richard Leadbetter
and David Upchurch, the title will have a print run of 350,000, and aims
to challenge the dominance of Future Publishing, which publishes the
market leader, Official PlayStation Magazine.
Leadbetter’s experience in the computer magazine world includes editing
Mean Machines and Maximum, and Upchurch was responsible for the launch
of PC Games.
The editorial team also includes Stephen Pierce as deputy editor, former
deputy editor of Official PlayStation Magazine, and Lee Nutter, formerly
of PlayStation Plus, as assistant editor.
The computer games magazine industry is worth pounds 77 million, three
times more than the music magazine industry, and Britain has the largest
market for PlayStation titles worldwide. Computec Media plans to follow
the launch of its flagship magazine with further titles in the computer
arena next year.
’Computec Media has held the number one position in Germany for three
years with nine titles across all technological platforms,’ said UK MD,
Marc Swallow.
