GMR (magazine)
Encyclopedia
GMR was a monthly magazine on video games that was published by Ziff-Davis — the publisher of such magazines as PC Magazine
, Electronic Gaming Monthly
, and Computer Gaming World
(later Games for Windows: The Official Magazine
). GMR was launched in February 2003, being sold in only the Electronics Boutique
(EB) chain of video game stores. The magazine was unusual among multiconsole magazines in that it covered PC as well as console games, as well as its minimalistic cover art, and, in its last few months, its shift in focus toward promotion of less mainstream titles. It lasted exactly two years, as the 25th and last issue (which was only sent to subscribers) was the February 2005 edition (though prints were limited and not even all subscribers received the final issue).
As the magazine was funded by Electronics Boutique
, the magazine stopped circulation when Gamestop
merged with EB Games, as Gamestop already had its own magazine, Game Informer
. The fates of its entire staff remain unknown, although James "Milkman" Mielke and Andrew "Skip" Pfister have transferred to the 1Up.com
Network online.
Shortly after the release of the PS2
game Monster Hunter
, an online-only Event Quest was released which allowed players to obtain the "GMR Chrome Heart," a weapon prominently featuring an embossed GMR logo.
and Ping Pals
.) A score of 9 or 10 was considered excellent, 7 or 8 good, 4 to 6 mediocre, and 1 to 3 bad. As well, the GMR Essential Selection logo would be awarded to all games scoring 10 and some games scoring 9. With the rating would come a one- or two-word comment, often a pun on the game's title, and three lines of comparisons (usually "Better Than:/Not As Good As:/Wait For It:").
Previewers would rate their excitement about an upcoming game on a scale of 1 to 5 flames, although one-flame previews were absent and two-flame previews rare.
Game Geezer was later revealed to be written by Jeff Green, former editor-in-chief of Games for Windows: The Official Magazine
magazine and Computer Gaming World
. The column was also written, on a fill-in basis, by former Xbox Nation editor Greg Orlando.
action game Ninja Gaiden. The game was featured on the cover and given an excellent review, but at about the same time, the game's developer made the decision to continue tweaking the game, delaying its release until early 2004. Thus, the GMR review was rendered invalid because it was based on a prerelease development version of the game.
PC Magazine
PC Magazine is a computer magazine published by Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009...
, Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
, and Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World was a computer game magazine founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication. Early issues were typically 40-50 pages in length, written in a newsletter style, including submissions by game designers such as Joel Billings , Dan Bunten , and Chris Crawford...
(later Games for Windows: The Official Magazine
Games for Windows: The Official Magazine
Games for Windows: The Official Magazine was a monthly computer game magazine published by Ziff Davis Media, licensing the Games for Windows brand from Microsoft Corporation. It was the successor to Computer Gaming World. The first issue was released in November 2006...
). GMR was launched in February 2003, being sold in only the Electronics Boutique
Electronics Boutique
EB Games is an American computer and video games retailer. First established as an American company in 1977 by Emmanuel Baxter with a single electronics-focused location in the King of Prussia Mall near Philadelphia, the company has grown into an international corporation...
(EB) chain of video game stores. The magazine was unusual among multiconsole magazines in that it covered PC as well as console games, as well as its minimalistic cover art, and, in its last few months, its shift in focus toward promotion of less mainstream titles. It lasted exactly two years, as the 25th and last issue (which was only sent to subscribers) was the February 2005 edition (though prints were limited and not even all subscribers received the final issue).
As the magazine was funded by Electronics Boutique
Electronics Boutique
EB Games is an American computer and video games retailer. First established as an American company in 1977 by Emmanuel Baxter with a single electronics-focused location in the King of Prussia Mall near Philadelphia, the company has grown into an international corporation...
, the magazine stopped circulation when Gamestop
GameStop
GameStop Corporation is an American video game and entertainment software retailer. The company, whose headquarters is in Grapevine, Texas, United States, operates 6,500 retail stores throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New...
merged with EB Games, as Gamestop already had its own magazine, Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
. The fates of its entire staff remain unknown, although James "Milkman" Mielke and Andrew "Skip" Pfister have transferred to the 1Up.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
Network online.
Shortly after the release of the PS2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
game Monster Hunter
Monster Hunter
Monster Hunter is an action game for the PlayStation 2. The game was developed and published by Capcom. Monster Hunter was released in North America on September 21, 2004...
, an online-only Event Quest was released which allowed players to obtain the "GMR Chrome Heart," a weapon prominently featuring an embossed GMR logo.
Magazine Covers
Each month had a title, e.g. "The Rainbow Issue", "The First Issue". These are listed where known.- February 2003: Dead or Alive: Extreme Beach Volleyball - "The First Issue"
- March 2003: XenosagaXenosagais a series of science fiction video games developed by Monolith Soft and published by Namco Bandai. Xenosaga's main story is in the form of a trilogy of PlayStation 2 video games. There have been three spin-off games and an anime adaptation. The Xenosaga series serves as a spiritual successor to...
- "The Chewy issue" - April 2003: Zone of the EndersZone of the EndersThe soundtrack to Zone of the Enders was released April 25, 2001 on the album Zone of the Enders Z.O.E Original Soundtrack by Konami Music Entertainment. Almost all the music was composed by the trio , and . Also, composed "Global 2 " and , "City ". The theme song "KISS ME SUNLIGHTS" was composed...
- "The Metal issue" - May 2003: Auto ModellistaAuto ModellistaAuto Modellista is a racing game developed and published by Capcom, first released on Sony PlayStation 2, and subsequently, on Nintendo GameCube and Microsoft Xbox...
- "The Speed issue" - June 2003: World of WarcraftWorld of WarcraftWorld of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
, Star Wars GalaxiesStar Wars GalaxiesStar Wars Galaxies is a Star Wars themed MMORPG for Microsoft Windows developed by Sony Online Entertainment and published by LucasArts.-History:...
- "The Wired issue" - July 2003: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake EaterMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eateris an award-winning stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima. Snake Eater was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2, and was released on November 17, 2004 in North America; December 16, 2004 in Japan; March 4, 2005 in Europe; and on...
- "The Jungle issue" - August 2003: Ninja GaidenNinja Gaiden (Xbox)Ninja Gaiden is an action-adventure game developed by Team Ninja for the Xbox video game console. It went through five years of development before its release by Tecmo in 2004, and has been progressively enhanced with a number of expansion packs and two remakes, Ninja Gaiden Black and Ninja Gaiden...
- "The masked issue" - September 2003: Soul Calibur IISoul Calibur IIis a fighting game developed and published by Namco and the third installment in the Soul series. Soul Calibur is the name of the holy sword, created to battle the evil sword Soul Edge, which the games' storylines revolve around...
- "The Kick A** Issue" - October 2003: F-Zero GXF-Zero GXis a futuristic racing video game for the Nintendo GameCube console. Developed by Sega's Amusement Vision department and supervised and published by Nintendo, it was released in Japan, Europe and North America . F-Zero AX, the arcade counterpart of GX, uses hardware conceived from a business...
- "The Future Issue" - November 2003: SSXSSXSSX is the first in the SSX series of snowboarding video games...
3 - "The Frosted Issue" - December 2003: Tony Hawk's UndergroundTony Hawk's UndergroundTony Hawk's Underground, abbreviated to THUG, is a skateboarding video game, available for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, and Xbox platforms released in 2003. A PC version was released exclusively in Australia as a budget release in 2005. This version was ported by Beenox. In 2004,...
- "The Flipped Issue" - January 2004: Rainbow Six 3, Ninja Gaiden - "The Creepy Issue"
- February 2004: DarkwatchDarkwatchDarkwatch: Curse of the West is a 2005 Weird West first-person shooter video game for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It was developed by High Moon Studios and published by Capcom in the United States and by Ubisoft in the European Union and Australia.The game mixes western, horror and steampunk genres...
- "The Dead Issue" - March 2004: Star Wars: Republic CommandoStar Wars: Republic CommandoStar Wars: Republic Commando is a first-person shooter Star Wars video game, released in the US on March 1, 2005. It was developed and published by LucasArts for the Microsoft Windows and Xbox platforms. The game uses Epic Games' Unreal Engine...
- "The Space Issue" - April 2004: Astro Boy - "The Anime Issue"
- May 2004: Nina: Death By DegreesDeath by DegreesDeath by Degrees is an action-adventure video game, developed by Namco. It is initially a spin-off from the Tekken series of fighting games...
- "The Women Issue" - June 2004: Onimusha 3 - "The Samurai Issue"
- July 2004: Kingdom Hearts: Chain of MemoriesKingdom Hearts: Chain of Memoriesis an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and Japanese studio Jupiter and published by Square Enix in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance. The game serves as an intermediary between the two larger-scale PlayStation 2 games in the Kingdom Hearts series. It was one of the first GBA games to...
- "The magic issue" - August 2004: Everquest 2, Monster HunterMonster HunterMonster Hunter is an action game for the PlayStation 2. The game was developed and published by Capcom. Monster Hunter was released in North America on September 21, 2004...
, Final Fantasy XI: Chains of Promathia, The Matrix OnlineThe Matrix OnlineThe Matrix Online was a massively multiplayer online game developed by Monolith Productions created by Richard Carroll. It was the official continuation of the storyline of the Matrix series of films. The game began closed beta-testing in June 2004 which was then opened for people who pre-ordered...
- Four different covers, "The Online World issue" - September 2004: Grand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
- "The Sandbox Issue" - October 2004: FableFableA fable is a succinct fictional story, in prose or verse, that features animals, mythical creatures, plants, inanimate objects or forces of nature which are anthropomorphized , and that illustrates a moral lesson , which may at the end be expressed explicitly in a pithy maxim.A fable differs from...
, Dead or Alive UltimateDead or Alive UltimateDead or Alive Ultimate is a multiplayer fighting game developed by Team Ninja and released by Tecmo for the Xbox in 2004...
- Two different covers, "The Hot Pink Issue" - November 2004: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year DoorPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year DoorPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, or Paper Mario 2, released in Japan as , is a console role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube...
- "the it's a-me issue" - December 2004: Need For Speed Underground 2, - "The nitro issue"
- January 2005: Halo 2Halo 2Halo 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie Studios. Released for the Xbox video game console on November 9, 2004, the game is the second installment in the Halo franchise and the sequel to 2001's critically acclaimed Halo: Combat Evolved...
- "The FPS Issue" - February 2005: Resident Evil 4Resident Evil 4Resident Evil 4, known in Japan as , is a survival horror third-person shooter video game developed by Capcom Production Studio 4 and published by multiple publishers, including Capcom, Ubisoft, Nintendo Australia, Red Ant Enterprises and THQ Asia Pacific...
- "The last issue"
Rating system
When games were reviewed, they were rated on a scale of 1 to 10. (A score of 0 was twice used, for Postal²Postal²
Postal 2 is a first-person shooter video game by Running with Scissors, and it is the sequel to the 1997 game Postal. Both are intentionally highly controversial due to high levels of violence and stereotyping. Unlike its predecessor, Postal 2 is played completely in first-person based on the...
and Ping Pals
Ping Pals
Ping Pals is a chat/accessory program developed by WayForward Technologies and published by THQ for the Nintendo DS. It was released on December 8, 2004 in North America...
.) A score of 9 or 10 was considered excellent, 7 or 8 good, 4 to 6 mediocre, and 1 to 3 bad. As well, the GMR Essential Selection logo would be awarded to all games scoring 10 and some games scoring 9. With the rating would come a one- or two-word comment, often a pun on the game's title, and three lines of comparisons (usually "Better Than:/Not As Good As:/Wait For It:").
Previewers would rate their excitement about an upcoming game on a scale of 1 to 5 flames, although one-flame previews were absent and two-flame previews rare.
Game Geezer
One of the most popular sections of the magazine was an editorial that appeared in the final pages of most every issue called Game Geezer. The editorial was written as though it were being dictated by an excessively cranky old man in a humorous tone and was well regarded by readers for its concise opinions and arguments regarding the video game industry and player community.Game Geezer was later revealed to be written by Jeff Green, former editor-in-chief of Games for Windows: The Official Magazine
Games for Windows: The Official Magazine
Games for Windows: The Official Magazine was a monthly computer game magazine published by Ziff Davis Media, licensing the Games for Windows brand from Microsoft Corporation. It was the successor to Computer Gaming World. The first issue was released in November 2006...
magazine and Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World was a computer game magazine founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication. Early issues were typically 40-50 pages in length, written in a newsletter style, including submissions by game designers such as Joel Billings , Dan Bunten , and Chris Crawford...
. The column was also written, on a fill-in basis, by former Xbox Nation editor Greg Orlando.
Ninja Gaiden controversy
GMR suffered a black eye to its reputation with the publication of the August 2003 issue, which featured what was billed as the exclusive first review for the then highly anticipated XboxXbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
action game Ninja Gaiden. The game was featured on the cover and given an excellent review, but at about the same time, the game's developer made the decision to continue tweaking the game, delaying its release until early 2004. Thus, the GMR review was rendered invalid because it was based on a prerelease development version of the game.