Game magazine subscription data

by Vladimir Cole { Jan 12th 2006 at 8:59AM }

For numbers geeks, here's a little statistic courtesy Mediamark Research Inc. on a few of the big names in the games magazine business.

If we were to check these figures again when they're updated in June, which magazines do you expect will gain and which will lose readers? Or are they all doomed to lose readers?

The first number below is the number of verified paid subscriptions that the magazine mails out each month. The second number is the total estimated reach of the magazine, including factors that tend to result in increased magazine readership (for example: magazines tend to be passed around or left in the loo for others to ~~befoul~~ read).

Computer Gaming World: 206,923/1,630,000
Electronic Gaming Monthly: 549,165/3,166,000
Game Informer: 2,036,751/2,036,751
GamePro: 406,257/2,736,000
Official Xbox Magazine: 409,206/3,885,000
PC Gamer: 261,989/2,782,000
PSM: 322,958/2,677,000
Official U.S. Playstation Magazine: 254,369/5,075,000

Nope. That's not a typo. Game Informer really is several times larger than their nearest competitor. How did they manage that? And why the heck is the Official U.S. Playstation Magazine passed around so much than all the other publications?

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Generalformat @ Jan 12th 2006 9:08AM

We're "motivated" to sell subscriptions at Gamestop since it's the company game magazine.

By "motivated," I mean our manager gets yelled at if we don't, and crap rolls down hill.

ixeos @ Jan 12th 2006 9:13AM

The reason GameInformer is so large is because Gamestop (morons) promotes the magazine through their stores. As a former employee it was part of the job to try and get people to sign up (pay $10) for a Discount card to use when purchasing used games @ their store. Included in this purchase is a year subscription to GameInformer. Hence, your 2,000,000+ subscriptions. I remember people losing their cards and buying a new one and saying "forget the subscription." I would then fill out *my* name and address....I must have had at least 4 or 5 subs. to the dang thing.

Brandon K @ Jan 12th 2006 9:16AM

Nintendo Power?.......

Craig Wood @ Jan 12th 2006 9:20AM

I've loaned my GI to friends a time or two in the past...so the numbers might be off by 1 or 2.

MarkTAW @ Jan 12th 2006 9:22AM

Because you get a discount on used games with your subscription.

And the playstation one gets passed around because of the free demo's.

Duh.

JodyAnthony @ Jan 12th 2006 9:25AM

Indeed, #1. I cant get anything at gamestop without the magazine being pushed on me like 3 times, even when I tell them I already have the subscription (just to get the discount. I don't actually read the thing.)

The only game magazine I like to read is Nintendo Power

Coyote @ Jan 12th 2006 9:29AM

Yea, I dont know how many times Ive been bugged to subscribe to Gameinformer when I go in.

As for OPM the articles and such you can get online or just skim over but the demos (shadow of the collus demo woot!) are something all my friends want to try on their own systems. Just sad they dont have a higher subscriber base.

Pyronite @ Jan 12th 2006 9:36AM

GamePro is such a horrible, horrible magazine.

Wreckless @ Jan 12th 2006 9:40AM

A few years ago I got a 6 month subscription to Game Informer, b/c it would discount my purchase to the point of saving me $5 and getting the subscription free. I got the mag for 6 months and then canceled, honestly there wasn't much worth looking at and the content always seemed to be a rehash of old internet news.

Feanor @ Jan 12th 2006 9:45AM

Game informer is easily as good a magazine as Nintendo Power, and I get both.

pedro @ Jan 12th 2006 9:47AM

GameInformer is actually a pretty good magazine. For $10/yr I have no complaints. In *some* ways I see it as the successor to the only Truly Great Video Game Magazine (at least here in the US)

Next Generation.

dwx @ Jan 12th 2006 10:05AM

Wasn't Game Informer originally started by some of the ex-Diehard Gamefan guys? Whatever happened to any of those crazy guys. I miss their spazzy ways and, at the time, the only magazine that really cared to give you as much eye candy as possible.

RocketPunch @ Jan 12th 2006 10:08AM

Sorry if I sounded n00bish, what is a magazine? Are they made with paper printed with out dated material by the time it reaches my home?

TeddyN @ Jan 12th 2006 10:11AM

I'd like to see some statistics for the UK paper press. I read PC Zone, PC Gamer and 'Edge', and really enjoy them. They're very useful as compilations of a month's activity, and since they need to be selective you usually get good stuff. 'Highlights' as it were. However, in my opinion the UK paper press is of better quality then the US ones (since I've seen both... I'm american but live in the UK)

dwx @ Jan 12th 2006 10:15AM

Daniel @ Jan 12th 2006 10:34AM

I agree. gampro is an AWFUL magazine. They don't have the tact and the talent of the EGM staff or the Joystiq staff

strider_mt2k @ Jan 12th 2006 11:00AM

GI is a pretty good magazine.

Nintendo Power is too much treacle for me, and i like my GameBoy stuff still.

DOWN @ Jan 12th 2006 11:02AM

In my opinion, GameInformer is many times better now than it used to be, while EGM is quickly going downhill.

The mag that frustrates me is PLAY- I which the reviews and features weren't so consistently poor, because the art and design of the mag is great.

Nossy @ Jan 12th 2006 11:14AM

Wow, do you guys still remember the days when Gamepro actually had its own TV show back in the early 90s? The only thing I like about magazines, is that I can go to Barnes & Noble to kill some time while my wife goes shopping at the mall. Otherwise, it is, outdated materials. Wow, E3 news in the July Issue...and E3 preview in the June issue. I get up to the minute update online DURING the event.

Nmaster @ Jan 12th 2006 11:26AM

You dare do an article about how the media is biased towards Nintendo after posting this and completely ignoring their own magazing? That's right there is just some bulls***.

Jeff @ Jan 12th 2006 12:02PM

"In my opinion, GameInformer is many times better now than it used to be, while EGM is quickly going downhill."

Agreed on EGM. I haven't picked it up recently so I don't know what's gone on the last 6 months or so, but up to that point it had basically gone in the span of about five years from a monthly 300 page encyclopedia of all things gaming (past and present) into about a 40 page buyer's-guide style pamphlet on whatever's "hot" in the marketplace at the moment. I was no longer interested at that point.

totoro @ Jan 12th 2006 12:12PM

The second number on a couple of those seems pretty suspect-do they give a methodology for that? Doesn't seem realistic to have such a wide range for a single genre-unless, for example, some of them rely only on magazine rack sales, etc.

Still, 5 million for the Playstation magazine, with only 250k subscribers?

vc @ Jan 12th 2006 12:36PM

Nintendo Power isn't included in this post because they aren't included in the data compiled by Mediamark.

Same for Play.

Flasshe @ Jan 12th 2006 12:50PM

I like PLAY - it's the only one I subscribe to. I don't always agree with their views and reviews, but at least they have a consistent editorial stance they stick with. They're not afraid to break away from the herd mentality and disagree with the rest of the pack. And it has actual writing (including lots of developer interviews) - words to read instead of just pretty pictures to look at.

Generalformat @ Jan 12th 2006 12:52PM

Nintendo Power doesn't even deserved to get ranked, which is pretty sad since I'd still rather read Gamepro than the biased pile of crap NP is.

HAY GUYZ! EVERYTHING NINTENDO MAKES IS GREAT! 10 stars!

Ryan @ Jan 12th 2006 12:56PM

The second number can more effectively be explained as this: that is the total number printed. This includes point-of-sale purchases, spoilage, etc. So the Official US PS mag has the most copies printed. GameInformer just doesn't print over what it needs, which I find hard to believe. In fact, I work in publishing and you would be surprised at the amount of "fudging" that goes on to make it seem like you're reaching a huge number of people. Simple things like sampling one day of the week (the one with the biggest sales) and averaging sales with the best possible numbers. It's all pretty much b.s.

WizarDru @ Jan 12th 2006 1:20PM

Nintendo Power is biased??!? Shock and HoRRORS!

This just in: Official Playstation Magazine and Official Xbox Magazine reported as favoring one platform as well! News at 11!

Of course, we had the discussion of Nintendo Power's bias here on Joystiq a month or two ago...and the result was, comparing NP to gamerankings and metacritic....they were about the same or sometimes harsher on Nintendo's titles, although sometimes they were over-exuberant on some of the big ticket titles. So NP is no more or less biased than any other similar magazine.

And as has been stated, few people go out of their way to subscribe to GI...it's just sort of thrust at them when they sign up for the membership card to get discounts on used games.

Guslav @ Jan 12th 2006 1:21PM

i read game informer and EGM, as well as joystiq, gamespot and IGN. each one has different reviews that complement each other, and each one produces different news reporting. there are, gasp, stories broken in GI that online media don't cover...BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET THE INTERVIEWS. and, conversely, there's news you get online that is dated once GI comes out.

if you really care about the industry, you try to read all of it.

Nick @ Jan 12th 2006 1:41PM

I find all of this GI bashing absolutely unbelievable. I consistently pick up and read just about all of the major video game publications and Game Informer, by far, is the most consistent with exclusive content (including screen shots and information on games NOT seen elsewhere, including your precious internet), screen shots, and interviews.

Maybe it didn't occur to you, but just because the big bad evil corporation demands their employees pitch something to you, it doesn't necessarily make it a gigantic pile of crap.

Jeff @ Jan 12th 2006 2:05PM

"Maybe it didn't occur to you, but just because the big bad evil corporation demands their employees pitch something to you, it doesn't necessarily make it a gigantic pile of crap."

Maybe not, but it doesn't help with the perception. So maybe they should quit doing it and people will think better of GI?

Hard sells almost never work in the long term. You may get that customer to buy at the point of sale but they will be less likely to come back and as this thread shows, they will be less likely to consider you credible.

kiss.h @ Jan 12th 2006 2:17PM

Shame on you, Joystiq.

Joystiq attacked DS badly.

And recently failed to report Xbox360's defects before Xbox360 launchs.

http://www.joystiq.com/2005/03/01/nintendo-sets-sights-on-nongamers/

Ben Combee @ Jan 12th 2006 2:54PM

As another poster stated, the "pass-around" number is the total print run. I'd suspect that for publications like OPM, there are a huge amount of newsstand sales, but since the subscription cost is fairly high due to the DVD costs, it's paid subs are lower than other publications.

techburp @ Jan 12th 2006 3:55PM

I used to work for Gamestop and this is how it was in my particular store when I worked there. The rules seemed to vary from store to store and from district to district. I don't know if it has changed, but I'll assume it hasn't. The reason they are constantly pushing you into getting a subscription to GI is that they force their employees to meet a quota. A certain percentage of the transactions they ring up must have a subscription purchase. For going over, you may get a pat on the back. For going under, you make your superiors very angry and you start to lose privileges. For staying under for more than a week or two, you risk losing your job. Not only that, but the percentage was constantly going up. They also have a similar quota for reservations, with similar results if you don't meet your goals.

This being said, I love GI and think it's probably the best video-space-game (:P) magazine around right now. I also still shop at Gamestop because the folks there are gamers, not drones that just got transferred from the dishwasher section.

I also liked my job there on the whole. I left because I got a real job.

techburp @ Jan 12th 2006 3:58PM

Oh, and we always had boatloads of extra copies of GI at the end of the month. We'd use them to intice people into getting a subscription. "If you subscribe today, we'll give you this extra issue!" Worked great.

STEEL @ Jan 12th 2006 3:59PM

I gotta agree with anyone who says the previews and interviews with GI are incredible its just that the service sucks. About 6 months back i started to notice that my GI doesnt come and i have a 2yr subscription soooooooooooooooo i call them up0 only to get the BS!!!! answer that they mailed it and that 5 missing issues is not their fault. Kinda strange though that whn i had a similar problem with NP it took me 3!!!! YES 3!!!!!! minutes for them to look at my problem and bump up my subscription based on how many issues didnt come soooooooooooooooooo GI GO TO HELL!!! :X

radjago @ Jan 12th 2006 4:00PM

Game Informer's numbers are inflated due to their 10-month subscriptions. If someone renews their subscription, it counts as two subscriptions in one year.

Guslav @ Jan 12th 2006 4:43PM

yeah, but if that's true, then it's not inflated by 2x. it's inflated by a ratio of 6/5. so 2,000,000 subscriptions= 1.67 million subscribers...still a large number.

Dan Choi @ Jan 12th 2006 5:58PM

"And why the heck is the Official U.S. Playstation Magazine passed around so much than all the other publications?" The demo disc probably helps there some, as you can see by the "pass-around" multiplier for OXM (which isn't as great as for OPM, probably due to the smaller install base of the Xbox versus the PS2). As for the Joystiq-attacks-Nintendo comment, that was way before "Puppy Times" ever made it to market; could you fault us for being the least bit skeptical?

khedron @ Jan 12th 2006 8:20PM

I get Game Informer. I get it because it came with the discount card that other people have mentioned, but I'll actually re-subscribe when it comes time. I like the review system, I like much of the commentary, and there are points of view for every genre.

(And it made me want to play "Disgaea", which was a good thing.)

George Mori @ Jan 12th 2006 8:39PM

for the record GI started out as the fanzine for Funcoland, not DieHard. DieHard was the company that greated GameFan, my favorite when I was younger and didn't notice the complete and utter lack of professionalism in the magazine. I think Dave Halverson now runs play, which I picked up once, then laughed my ass off when in an interview he suggested to one of the Sega guys to do a 2-d sonic for the home systems. He spoke as if it could actually happen. LOL. Every one of the major magazines has had its good times, though all the great ones have died.

Best ever IMO:

1. Next Generation: It got worse towards the end when it ditched the interviews, but still the best ever IMO.

2. Electronic Games: Short Run, but had some of the best articles in the business.

3. Game Players: Probably my favorite 'fun' magazine, got reams better than its old self, then died.

4. Intelligent Gamer, laster all of 5 minutes, but what a 5 minutes.

5. Video Games and Computer Entertainment: Andy Eddy was probably the best editor in the business.

mofomojo @ Jan 13th 2006 12:39AM

So every one who has read Game Informer is a subscriber? Sounds like bullshit to me, it's even right down so accurate to the ones.

Grade A bullshit.

dagrom @ Jan 13th 2006 1:21AM

"And why the heck is the Official U.S. Playstation Magazine passed around so much than all the other publications?"

because all 200,000 of them are found in the loo...

cap-n-crunch @ Jan 13th 2006 8:12AM

I love Gameinformer, The editors realy seem to enjoy all platforms, Insted of dissing the Xbox every chance they get like thoose EGM homos . I love their retro sections most. The only thing I like about Egm is Seanbaby. Go to www.seanbaby.com if you never have before then your in for a treat.

L'Emmerdeur @ Jan 13th 2006 5:02PM

Let's also remember that a lot of mainstream publications got busted in the last few years artificially inflating their circulation numbers, so I wouldn't be surprised if that number is also bullcrap.

The only subscription I have is for Gamespot online, so I can download demos and WoW patches quickly. Worth every penny.

Andrew Lenahan @ Jan 13th 2006 5:03PM

Game Informer is not bad at all, and the Gamestop card pays for the subscription almost instantly... I don't buy many games at GameStop, but I always go for their DVD box sets, especially during the buy-2-get-1-free promotions they have every few weeks. The best part of their mag is the retro section, which is usually one decent-sized article and a few small capsule reviews.

The best all-around mag though is EGM, with the best (and apparently least-biased) review section, and the Seanbaby column is always a must-read for me.