| Computer Gaming World | |
|---|---|
Computer Gaming World Issue 249 - March 2005 |
|
| Editor | Jeff Green |
| Categories | Computing, Gaming |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| First issue | November 1981 |
| Final issue — Number |
November 2006 268 |
| Company | Ziff Davis |
| Country | United States, Canada |
| Language | English |
| Website | CGW on the 1UP Network |
| ISSN | 0744-6667 |
Computer Gaming World (CGW) was the first magazine devoted exclusively to computer games. Jeff Green is a writer notably known as the former editor-in-chief of Games for Windows Magazine, published by Ziff-Davis. Computing is usually defined like the activity of using and developing Computer technology Computer hardware and software. A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. Ziff Davis Inc (ZD is an American publisher and Internet company The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States An International Standard Serial Number ( ISSN) is a unique eight-digit number used to identify a print or electronic Periodical publication. A personal computer Game (also known as a computer game or simply PC game) is a Video game played on a Personal computer, rather CGW was founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Early issues were typically 40-50 pages in length, written in a newsletter style, including submissions by game designers such as Joel Billings (SSI), Dan(i) Bunten (Ozark Software), and Chris Crawford. Joel Billings is an American Computer game designer. He is the founder of the seminal game company SSI in 1979 Danielle Bunten Berry ( February 19, 1949 - July 3, 1998) also known as Dani Bunten (born Daniel Paul Bunten) was Chris Crawford may refer to Chris Crawford (basketball Chris Crawford (game designer See also As well, early covers were not always directly related to the magazine's contents, but rather featured work by artist Tim Finkas. In 1986, CGW increased its publication cycle to 9 times a year, and the editorial staff included well-known writers such as Scorpia, Charles Ardai, and M. Charles Ardai (born 1969 is an Entrepreneur, Writer, and editor. Evan Brooks.
In late 1987, CGW introduced a quarterly newlsetter called Computer Game Forum (CGF), which was published during the off-months of CGW. The focus of the newsletter was game design, game hints and scenarios, and game development. The newsletter never really took off and only two issues were published (Fall 1987 and Winter 1987) before it was cancelled. Many of the columns which debuted in CGF, such as Scorpion's Tale and The Rumor Bag, were incorporated into CGW, which went monthly in 1988.
The magazine went through significant expansion starting in 1991, with growing page counts reaching 196 pages by its 100th issue, in November of 1992. During that same year, Johnny Wilson became Editor-In-Chief, although Russell Sipe remained as Publisher. In 1993, Sipe sold the magazine to Ziff Davis. Ziff Davis Inc (ZD is an American publisher and Internet company Sipe continued on as Publisher until 1995. The magazine kept growing through the 1990s, with the December 1997 issue weighing in at 500 pages. In 1999, Wilson left the magazine and George Jones became Editor-In-Chief, at a time when print magazines were struggling with the growing popularity of the Internet. Jones' time at the head of the magazine was largely undistinguished, and he was replaced by Jeff Green in 2002. Jeff Green is a writer notably known as the former editor-in-chief of Games for Windows Magazine, published by Ziff-Davis.
On August 2, 2006, Ziff Davis and Microsoft jointly announced that Computer Gaming World would be replaced with Games for Windows: The Official Magazine. Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Games for Windows The Official Magazine was a monthly Computer game magazine published by Ziff Davis Media, licensing the Games for Windows [1] The final CGW-labeled issue was November 2006, for a total of 268 published editions.
Simultaneously with the release of the final CGW issue, Ziff Davis announced the availability of the CGW Archive. The Archive features complete copies of the first 100 issues of CGW, as well as the 2 CGF issues, for a total of 7438 pages covering 11 years of gaming. The Archive was created by Stephane Racle, of the Computer Gaming World Museum, and is available in PDF format. Every issue was processed through Optical Character Recognition, which enabled the creation of a 3+ million word master index. Optical character recognition, usually abbreviated to OCR, is the Mechanical or electronic translation of Images of handwritten typewritten Although Ziff Davis has taken its CGW Archive site offline, the magazines can be downloaded from the Computer Gaming World Museum.
On April 8, 2008, 1UP Network announced the print edition of Games for Windows: The Official Magazine had ceased, and that all content will be moved online. Events 217 - Roman Emperor Caracalla is Assassinated (and succeeded by his Praetorian 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Ziff Davis Inc (ZD is an American publisher and Internet company [1]
Contents |
Content
CGW featured reviews, previews, news, features, letters, strategy, and columns dealing with computer games. A personal computer Game (also known as a computer game or simply PC game) is a Video game played on a Personal computer, rather While console games are occasionally touched on, these are primarily the territory of CGW's sister magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly. Electronic Gaming Monthly (often abbreviated to EGM) is an American Video game magazine.
In 2006, two of the most popular features were "Greenspeak", a final-page column written by Editor-In-Chief Jeff Green, and "Tom vs. Jeff Green is a writer notably known as the former editor-in-chief of Games for Windows Magazine, published by Ziff-Davis. Bruce" a unique, "duelling-diaries" piece in which writers Tom Chick and Bruce Geryk logged their gameplay experience as each tried to best the other at a given game. Tom W Chick (born 1966 is an American television and movie Actor, and games journalist "Tom vs. Bruce" sometimes featured a guest appearance by Erik Wolpaw, formerly of Old Man Murray. Old Man Murray (aka OMM was a popular Computer game commentary and reviews site well-known for its highly irreverent and satiric tone
For many years, CGW never assigned scores to reviews, preferring to let readers rate their favorite games through a monthly poll. Scores were finally introduced in 1994. However, beginning in April 2006, Computer Gaming World stopped assigning quantifiable scores to its reviews. In May of the same year, CGW changed the name of its review section to Viewpoint, and began evaluating games on a more diverse combination of factors than a game's content. Elements considered include the communities' reaction to a game, developers' continued support through patches and whether a game's online component continues to grow.
The reviews were formerly based on a simple five-star structure, with five stars marking a truly outstanding game, and one star signalling virtual worthlessness. On very rare occasions, immensely abysmal games have been reviewed: Postal² by Robert Coffey, Mistmare by Jeff Green, and Dungeon Lords by Denice Cook, three games which ". . . form an unholy trinity of the only games in CGW history to receive zero-star reviews. "
Circulation
According to MDS Computer Gaming World had a circulation of slightly above 300,000 as of 2006. In this regard, it was slightly behind industry arch-rival PC Gamer. PC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. It should be noted, however, that magazine circulation numbers are highly subjective, despite the seemingly straightforward connection between publication and distribution.
Awards
In 1988, CGW won the Origins Award for Best Professional Adventure Gaming Magazine of 1987. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry
Games for Windows: The Official Magazine
On August 2, 2006, Ziff Davis Media issued a press release detailing their plans to halt circulation of Computer Gaming World. Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. As part of a joint-venture project with Microsoft, Ziff Davis launched a new magazine dubbed Games for Windows: The Official Magazine in Fall of 2006. Games for Windows The Official Magazine was a monthly Computer game magazine published by Ziff Davis Media, licensing the Games for Windows The new magazine replaced CGW as part of Microsoft's Games for Windows initiative. In their press release, Ziff Davis indicated that much of Computer Gaming Worlds's core content and staff will be transferred to the new magazine. Because of these announcements, Ziff Davis' actions appear more on the order of a rebranding of CGW, rather than an actual cancellation. It remains to be seen whether this strategic marketing alliance will prove useful to both parties involved.
See also Games for Windows for developing information about the new Microsoft magazine and marketing campaign. Games for Windows is a gaming platform and Marketing campaign by Microsoft that dates back at least to 2005, and was revised in 2006.
CGW/GFW ended its 27 year run on April 8th 2008.
See also
- Computer Gaming World list of the best games of all time
- Games for Windows: The Official Magazine
Notes
- ^ Games for Windows Magazine Moves Online. Games for Windows The Official Magazine was a monthly Computer game magazine published by Ziff Davis Media, licensing the Games for Windows
External links
- The Computer Gaming World Museum - dedicated to the preservation and presentation of all items related to the early years of the first magazine specifically dedicated to computer games.
- CGW on Ziff Davis website
- CGW on the 1UP Network
- Sipe.Com Home Page