History of videogame magazines in Croatia
Nov 14, 2011 7:50:54 GMT -5
Post by mpx on Nov 14, 2011 7:50:54 GMT -5
Hello.
First magazine published in Croatia that was writing only about videogames was Hacker. First issue was published in November 1994.
Hacker was Amiga, PC and console magazine. First issues had 28 - 32 pages and later 60+. Around 1997 - 1998 magazine had 80 + pages and maximum number of pages was 116.
In 1997 magazine change look but this lasted only for 1 year.
In later years they cover only PC and PSX games (in 1998 they stop covering Amiga platform because of death of Amiga). Sega Saturn, N64 and Dreamcast consoles werent popular in Croatia.
From December 1997 issue CD (and later DVD) was regular part of magazine.
Best quality and sales were between 1998 and 2000. In 1998 they change look of magazine again (total revamped it) and this time period was Golden Age of Hacker.
In March 1999 Hacker team made PSX magazine ( first PlayStation Magazine in Croatia).
PSX had 3 phases. From 1999 to 2000 quality of paper was low than the Hacker and from issue 1 to issue 10 they started slowly increased number of pages and price of magazine. In late 2000 magazine was in hiatus and after few months they published issue 20. Issue 20 (hit newstands in February 2001 but it was finished in November 2000) was published in HQ paper, poster ( MGS 2 and GT 3) and PSX Extra (mini magazine with up to date news, reviews and previews) + designe of magazine was slightly changed. In February 2002 they decided revamp magazine and the look was like a brand new magazine. Everything was changed and price of magazine was few kn higher.
Hacker and PSX were most popular croatian videogame magazines.
But in 2000 someting went bad for Janus Press ( publisher of Hacker and PSX) and editor in chief of both magazines Kristijan Žibreg was fired and quality of Hacker was bad after that event. Whith each number magazine was worst.
Later in 1999 Hacker became PC only magazine.
In 2002 Hacker started covering Xbox games. They have few pages for Xbox only games reviews, news and previews.
In 2003 they stoped covering Xbox games in magazine and started mini magazine called Score. Score was in mini format and it has previews, news and reviews of console games. Score was addition to magazine and had 32 pages.
PSX last issue was published in 2002, and Hacker managed to survive to 2005.
img838.imageshack.us/img838/3715/casopisi1.jpg
Last issue of PSX was Summer 2002 37/38 issue.
Last issue of Hacker was issue 117 (May 2005)
There was some magazines that folded after few issues
First there was Master. Master was spin off of computer and IT Bug magazine. This is December 1994 was first and last issue that was published. Well first issue of Bug was published in December 1992 and they covered videogames in few pages. In 1994 they decided to Master section in magazine published as new magazine. But first issue wasnt financial successful and they close the mag and merge it again as Bug Master in Bug Magazine.
pc.sux.org/MasterH/Covers/MAS_94_12_01.jpg
Then in 1996 there was Chaos. Chaos issue 1 and issue 2 were only issues that were published. This magazine had high quality paper and price was higher than price of Hacker. March and April 1996 were dates for this two issues.
In 1998 there was new magazine. It was called PC Play.
First there was Issue Zero as pilot issue. PCP Zero has small number of pages, CD and cheap promo price. First magazine covered PC games + PSX and N64 games as extra reviews and after 2002 it became PC only magazine. It was published in January 1998.
Last issue o PC Play was published in December 2010 (issue 138/139)
Magazines have nice quality but in 2005 they started to geting worst.
In 2005 they decided to cut number of pages to 64 and the price was same as with 100 pages. With each issues they have Dual Layer DVD. But quality of text articles, reviews and previews was terrible.
After last issue of PSX ex staf decided to making new magazine called GamePlay.
In November 2002 first issue of GamePlay was published. First issues of GamePlay were similar to PSX but after that they slightly change style.
From 2002 to 2005 it was console only magazine but after Hacker folded they decide to cover PC games. December 2005 saw makeover of magazine. Issues from 2005 and 2006 were terrible because magazine has 100 pages and they were covering all systems ( PS2, PS3,Xbox 360, PC, PSP, DS, Wii) for first time. Slowly the quality of magazine was rising.
In 2010 they improve quality but then NCL Group ( publishers of magazine) started to demand cheap quality of magazine. Cost were high and NCL was in financial trouble.
GP journalist decide to abandon NCL after 99 issues and started from beginning.
March 2011 issue was the last issue of GamePlay.
img.torrenthr.org/data/94VDh.jpg
In April 2011 they started Next Level magazine.
Next Level has 132 pages, 25 kn price (3.34 EURO, 4.55 USD) and magazine is like GamePlay +. Staff is the same, editor in chief is same, only magazine have different look and 32 more pages + 4 Retro pages.
First magazine published in Croatia that was writing only about videogames was Hacker. First issue was published in November 1994.
Hacker was Amiga, PC and console magazine. First issues had 28 - 32 pages and later 60+. Around 1997 - 1998 magazine had 80 + pages and maximum number of pages was 116.
In 1997 magazine change look but this lasted only for 1 year.
In later years they cover only PC and PSX games (in 1998 they stop covering Amiga platform because of death of Amiga). Sega Saturn, N64 and Dreamcast consoles werent popular in Croatia.
From December 1997 issue CD (and later DVD) was regular part of magazine.
Best quality and sales were between 1998 and 2000. In 1998 they change look of magazine again (total revamped it) and this time period was Golden Age of Hacker.
In March 1999 Hacker team made PSX magazine ( first PlayStation Magazine in Croatia).
PSX had 3 phases. From 1999 to 2000 quality of paper was low than the Hacker and from issue 1 to issue 10 they started slowly increased number of pages and price of magazine. In late 2000 magazine was in hiatus and after few months they published issue 20. Issue 20 (hit newstands in February 2001 but it was finished in November 2000) was published in HQ paper, poster ( MGS 2 and GT 3) and PSX Extra (mini magazine with up to date news, reviews and previews) + designe of magazine was slightly changed. In February 2002 they decided revamp magazine and the look was like a brand new magazine. Everything was changed and price of magazine was few kn higher.
Hacker and PSX were most popular croatian videogame magazines.
But in 2000 someting went bad for Janus Press ( publisher of Hacker and PSX) and editor in chief of both magazines Kristijan Žibreg was fired and quality of Hacker was bad after that event. Whith each number magazine was worst.
Later in 1999 Hacker became PC only magazine.
In 2002 Hacker started covering Xbox games. They have few pages for Xbox only games reviews, news and previews.
In 2003 they stoped covering Xbox games in magazine and started mini magazine called Score. Score was in mini format and it has previews, news and reviews of console games. Score was addition to magazine and had 32 pages.
PSX last issue was published in 2002, and Hacker managed to survive to 2005.
img838.imageshack.us/img838/3715/casopisi1.jpg
Last issue of PSX was Summer 2002 37/38 issue.
Last issue of Hacker was issue 117 (May 2005)
There was some magazines that folded after few issues
First there was Master. Master was spin off of computer and IT Bug magazine. This is December 1994 was first and last issue that was published. Well first issue of Bug was published in December 1992 and they covered videogames in few pages. In 1994 they decided to Master section in magazine published as new magazine. But first issue wasnt financial successful and they close the mag and merge it again as Bug Master in Bug Magazine.
pc.sux.org/MasterH/Covers/MAS_94_12_01.jpg
Then in 1996 there was Chaos. Chaos issue 1 and issue 2 were only issues that were published. This magazine had high quality paper and price was higher than price of Hacker. March and April 1996 were dates for this two issues.
In 1998 there was new magazine. It was called PC Play.
First there was Issue Zero as pilot issue. PCP Zero has small number of pages, CD and cheap promo price. First magazine covered PC games + PSX and N64 games as extra reviews and after 2002 it became PC only magazine. It was published in January 1998.
Last issue o PC Play was published in December 2010 (issue 138/139)
Magazines have nice quality but in 2005 they started to geting worst.
In 2005 they decided to cut number of pages to 64 and the price was same as with 100 pages. With each issues they have Dual Layer DVD. But quality of text articles, reviews and previews was terrible.
After last issue of PSX ex staf decided to making new magazine called GamePlay.
In November 2002 first issue of GamePlay was published. First issues of GamePlay were similar to PSX but after that they slightly change style.
From 2002 to 2005 it was console only magazine but after Hacker folded they decide to cover PC games. December 2005 saw makeover of magazine. Issues from 2005 and 2006 were terrible because magazine has 100 pages and they were covering all systems ( PS2, PS3,Xbox 360, PC, PSP, DS, Wii) for first time. Slowly the quality of magazine was rising.
In 2010 they improve quality but then NCL Group ( publishers of magazine) started to demand cheap quality of magazine. Cost were high and NCL was in financial trouble.
GP journalist decide to abandon NCL after 99 issues and started from beginning.
March 2011 issue was the last issue of GamePlay.
img.torrenthr.org/data/94VDh.jpg
In April 2011 they started Next Level magazine.
Next Level has 132 pages, 25 kn price (3.34 EURO, 4.55 USD) and magazine is like GamePlay +. Staff is the same, editor in chief is same, only magazine have different look and 32 more pages + 4 Retro pages.